While much of the traction is going to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. this offseason, another player of the Toronto Blue Jays who's set to become a free agent after the 2025 season is shortstop Bo Bichette.
Bichette, a two-time All-Star and two-time AL hits leader, is also 26 but is coming off a lackluster season, unlike Guerrero Jr. Due to injuries, he only appeared in 81 games, hitting .225/.277/.322 along with an OPS of just .598.
Bichette’s stock took a hit in 2024 after battling injuries and struggling offensively. But Blue Jays insider Keegan Matheson believes that the shortstop can rebuild his value in 2025 if he can perform at a level comparable to Willy Adames, who landed a $182 million deal with the San Francisco Giants this offseason.
Matheson noted that Bichette was once seen as the Blue Jays' most reliable player, but a down year has changed the narrative.
"A year ago, I would have told you that Bo Bichette was the most predictable player on this roster. Then, he had an ugly year with calf injuries and a sub-.600 OPS—that was a real down year," Matheson said on MLB Network.
"Now, he needs to bounce back from that and get himself back up to maybe that Willy Adames territory. If he has a good season, I think it makes a lot of sense for him to play out the year and set his value again."
Bo Bichette could be a trade candidate real soon for the Blue Jays
While the Blue Jays are looking to be competitive in 2025, if anything goes wrong, the first player going out the door via trade could be Bo Bichette.
Analysts have started to float trade ideas for Bichette. If he struggles and the Blue Jays make a lackluster start to the 2025 season, he could be traded for prospects or another exciting player.
Thus, it's paramount for the young shortstop to give his best foot forward so that even if gets traded, he will retain his value in the open market to secure a good deal, possibly similar to the one fellow shortstop Willy Adames landed this offseason.