MLB Rumors: Blue Jays Bichette and Vladdy plans, Roki Sasaki pivot, Crochet trade

We have reached the stretch run of the 2024 campaign, but the MLB rumors never truly cease. We have plenty to look forward to this offseason, when multiple All-Stars will become available, either in trades or as free agents.

USA Today's Bob Nightengale dropped his weekly 'around the basepaths' column on Sunday and, per usual, there are a ton of juicy nuggets worth diving into.

Here is the scuttlebutt that demands your attention.

MLB Rumors: White Sox plan to trade Garrett Crochet this offseason

The Chicago White Sox were unable to find a trade partner for Garrett Crochet before the deadline a few weeks ago. That came as a mild shock, but it was partially by design. At least for Crochet, who tanked his value with an unexpected (and very public) contract demand. The 25-year-old effectively told contenders that he wouldn't pitch in the playoffs without a new contract.

All is fair in love and war, and the same goes for MLB financial negotiations. Crochet has injuries on his ledger and a pitching style that is not inherently conducive to longevity. It's only reasonable for him to want a solid financial commitment before he pushes his arm further than it's ever gone before.

Crochet has already more than doubled his career high with 124.2 innings pitched to date. It has been a struggle since the All-Star break, perhaps justifying some of the trepidation on the trade front, but Crochet snapped back into form last Friday with a four-inning, nine-strikeout afternoon. He allowed just one earned run but saw his workload cut short for the purpose of preservation.

According to USA Today, the White Sox "intend to trade Crochet in the offseason." The talented southpaw has drawn scouts from across the league in recent weeks, so the interest remains. He has a 6-9 record through 25 starts, with a 3.69 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. Don't let Chicago's collective incompetence distract you from Crochet's very real potential to elevate a contender in 2025.

MLB Rumors: Japan's Roki Sasaki could wait another year before posting his contract

Roki Sasaki, the 22-year-old ace from Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball league, could throw a wrench into several teams' offseason plans. According to the latest USA Today intel, Sasaki — initially believed to be targeting a 2025 MLB debut — could prolong his posting for another year, in what Nightengale describes as a "change of heart."

It has been a challenging campaign for Sasaki across the Pacific. He has dealt with various injuries and his 2.15 ERA is the worst of his career. Teams aren't going to balk at such a modest ERA, though. Sasaki is especially intriguing because of his age. He isn't eligible for the same long-term megadeal as Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who waited until his 25th birthday to join the major leagues. By posting his contract early, Sasaki could present immediate ace potential on a bargain contract.

That remains true if Sasaki waits until 2026 to join the big leagues, but this is still a noteworthy change of plans for the hard-throwing righty. The longer Sasaki puts off joining the MLB ranks, the longer he ostensibly needs to wait for that second MLB contract, which will presumably be a major payday. He could also follow in Yamamoto's footsteps and wait until his 25th birthday, thus opening up the possibility of a massive contract out of the gate.

Sasaki is viewed as one of the best Japanese pitching prospects in years, potentially even surpassing the highly touted Yamamoto. MLB teams will be following his decision-making process with bated breath, hoping that Sasaki arrives sooner than later.

MLB Rumors: Blue Jays have different offseason plans for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette

The Toronto Blue Jays made a few impactful trade deadline maneuvers, primarily with their raiding of the Houston Astros farm system in the Yusei Kikuchi swap. Still, the Blue Jays did not pull the trigger on trades involving Vladimir Guerrero Jr. or Bo Bichette. Both of Toronto's stars become free agents at the end of next season, so the clock is ticking on the Blue Jays' current core.

According to USA Today, Ross Atkins and the front office have divergent plans for Guerrero and Bichette this winter. The Blue Jays are "expected to entertain trade offers" for Bichette, who has no intention to remain in Toronto beyond his current contract. Guerrero, however, is more amenable to an extension, and the Blue Jays "want to try signing him" before he hits the open market.

There are zero guarantees couched within Nightengale's report. Just because Bichette is on the chopping block, that does not mean he actually gets traded. As for Guerrero, there's a difference between trying to extend him and actually extending him. If the two sides can't come to terms before the 2025 trade deadline, Toronto will have a hard choice to make. Losing Guerrero for nothing, considering how high his value is around the league, would qualify as front office malpractice.

As of now, the odds probably favor both Guerrero and Bichette testing the free agent waters. Bichette seems like a lost cause, completely out of love with the Blue Jays organization. Guerrero clearly appreciates Toronto, but it's hard to pass up the open market as a 26-year-old slugging machine. Guerrero would field several lucrative long-term offers from every manner of contender. By inking an extension with Toronto, he could end up leaving money on the table.

The Jays have the financial wherewithal to compete for Guerrero's services on the open market. Maybe he even accepts a hometown discount when the time comes. But, right now, Toronto fans should at least be preparing their farewell messages for Bo Bichette, who is destined to aggravate the Blue Jays faithful when he inevitably relocates his swing in new threads.