"He is our shortstop moving forward" - Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins shuts down trade rumors around star infielder Bo Bichette

With free agency starting to heat up, there have been many rumours concerning Bo Bichette's future with the Toronto Blue Jays. Some insiders believe that the team could look at trading the all-star shortstop this winter.

Bichette is one of the top shortstops in the league, especially when it comes to offensive prowess. He led the American League in hits during the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

Bichette is under contract until the 2025 season, and he will likely stay with the Blue Jays until then. General manager Ross Atkins spoke with the media on Tuesday to dispel the rumours.

"He's a really good player. We're very fortunate to have him, and he's our shortstop moving forward," said Atkins.

Atkins reckons many teams are interested in Bo Bichette because of the limited amount of impact positional players available. One of the best options for the position is Amed Rosario.

The shortstop market this season is drastically different than the one fans saw last offseason. It's not a great year to be a team looking to upgrade at the shortstop position.

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Blue Jays need to add help alongside Bo Bichette

Wild Card Series - Toronto Blue Jays vs Minnesota Twins - Game One

Bo Bichette and the Toronto Blue Jays made the postseason for the third time in a row. Just like the other two times, they were swept in the Wild Card round. Last season, they were quickly bested by the Minnesota Twins.

The fanbase is starting to grow restless over the quick exits their team has endured in the last three seasons. They want to see their team become a serious World Series contender and not just make the postseason.

They need to add some players this winter to help the team, especially on the offensive side. One player who could fix a lot of their problems is Cody Bellinger. Bellinger is coming off an NL Comeback Player of the Year season and is a left-handed bat the team could use.

However, he's the top-rated position player behind Shohei Ohtani and will likely not be cheap.

The team could also look at a reunion with Lourdes Gurriel Jr. With Kevin Kiermaier being a free agent and expressing his desire to play on a grass outfield, re-signing him seems slim.

Toronto cannot go into the 2024 season with the hole they have in the outfield. Expect them to be aggressive in pursuing an outfielder, be it in trades or free agency.