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The Toronto Blue Jays have been among the most disappointing teams in MLB this year, with lofty expectations unmet, underperformance from some stars, and reports of trades for others.
Two players at the forefront of the trade deadline rumor mill are first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and shortstop Bo Bichette, once considered foundational pieces for the organization but now being shipped out of town by every prognosticator expecting the Blue Jays to tear everything down and start over.
Buster Olney reported for ESPN that will not be the case. He wrote, “The Toronto Blue Jays have signaled to other teams that they intend to try to win in 2025 rather than to go through a full rebuild, and this is being interpreted by some other teams as an assertion that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette — each eligible for free agency after ’25 — won’t be moved this summer.”
Is Toronto essentially giving up on this season, with the team 15 games out of first place in the AL East and nothing suggesting they can make a historic comeback? Sure, but giving up the organization’s two most valuable assets would be a panic move that would not only signify a rebuild but would likely disenfranchise the fans.
Guerrero is immensely popular, both in Toronto and around the league. So much so that he is the cover boy for the MLB: The Show 24 video game and had the 14th highest-selling jersey in MLB at the All-Star break.
Statistically, he is not having one of his banner seasons, but he also is not having a bad one by any stretch of the imagination.
Guerrero has accumulated 112 hits, 16 home runs, 59 RBI, two stolen bases, a slash line of .292/.361/.473, and a WAR of 2.4, per Baseball-Reference.
Bichette, on the other hand, has struggled mightily, hitting just four home runs and driving in 30 runs on a slash line of .223/.276/.321.
It has been frustrating to watch the 26-year-old shortstop this season given that he has spent the last three seasons as one of the best pure hitters in the game. The team just placed him on the 10-day injured list with a calf strain, with the expectation being that he will miss multiple weeks, perhaps shedding some light on why his play has not lived up to the expectations of anyone involved.
Bichette had the 19th highest-selling jersey at the All-Star break.
One down season does not a downward spiral make, be it in terms of individual players or the team as a whole.
Getting rid of either player admits failure for a front office that once appeared to have all the pieces in place for a World Series run.
That did not happen, but the organization has built a playoff team in three of the last four seasons. The team should be focused on advancing past the Wild Card round, not setting unrealistic expectations like “World Series or bust.”
Has the 2024 season been one of bitter disappointment given the talent in place? Absolutely.
Will the team likely deal players on expiring contracts? Probably, with Olney specifically mentioning pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, catcher Danny Jansen, and reliever Yimi Garcia.
Any conversation beginning with, or involving, Guerrero and Bichette should be non-starters for the club, regardless of what the haul is in return.
The Blue Jays are smart not to move either, instead staying the course and looking forward to 2025, where both Guerrero and Bichette will have the opportunity to make up for their so-so years and prove they belong in the team’s plans moving into the future.
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