As we all expected, the Toronto Blue Jays are in first place a week and change into the 2025 MLB season.
It was a tumultuous winter for Toronto's front office. Ross Atkins basically failed to deliver on all his top goals: He didn't sign Juan Soto, he couldn't lure Roki Sasaki to the frozen tundra of Ontario and he didn't hammer out the long-awaited Vladimir Guerrero Jr. extension. Amid all that discontent, it was almost easy to forget that shortstop Bo Bichette was also eligible for a new deal.
The Jays' biggest offseason investment, Max Scherzer, is already on the IL. It all feels a little bleak, despite a promising start on the field. How long can this last, and what does it mean for the future of the club? Those are the questions being mulled around the Toronto fandom right now.
Guerrero Jr.'s departure is not a done deal. He could still re-sign in free agency; it's the preferred outcome for both sides, from the sound of it. The Blue Jays will need to spend aggressively, but if Atkins can put himself in the running for Soto, there's no reason Toronto can't splurge on Guerrero Jr. when their backs are against the wall.
As for Guerrero Jr.'s All-Star running mate, however ... well, let's just say Bichette does not have the same affinity for Toronto.
For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop during the MLB season.
Bo Bichette appears to be halfway out the door as Blue Jays attempt to re-sign Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
"Word is Bo Bichette is destined for free agency, however, and likely to leave," writes Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
This should not surprise folks. Last season, we heard rumors of Bichette's desire to leave Toronto. USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported that Bichette "has told friends that he would welcome a trade," and while that specific outcome seems unlikely, the idea of a long-term partnership is basically dead.
It seems, for now, that Bichette's future is unmoored from Guerrero Jr.'s future. This isn't a one-or-the-other situation; Bichette probably won't weigh Vladdy's future when he puts pen to paper with a different organization. Now, whether Vladdy weighs Bichette's future (and the general state of Toronto's roster) in his decision is the real question. A lot of teams will offer Guerrero Jr. a much clearer path to World Series contention, which is the ultimate goal.
There's still time for Bichette to change his mind, but the 27-year-old appears determined to escape. He's on track for a much better performance in 2025 after his snakebitten 2024 campaign, which would only make it easier to land a nice paycheck elsewhere. Through seven games, Bichette is hitting .310 with a .754 OPS. He looks far more like his vintage self, making strong contact and finding his way on-base early in games.
All eyes are on Guerrero Jr., which should allow Bichette to quietly sneak out the backdoor when the season's over.