When it comes to the faces of the franchise for the current state of the Toronto Blue Jays, without a doubt the first ones that come to mind are Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. But can one imagine life of the Blue Jays without either one of these superstars on the forefront in leading the way?
That improbable possibility could become a reality if what some of the current MLB executives believe comes to fruition, especially if Toronto continues to struggle this year in the ultra-competitive AL East. In a recent article by Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, he revealed that one particular AL executive believed that the Jays could actually move one or both superstars this summer.
“I don’t think they’re opposed to it,” the executive stated. “They’ve talked to teams about it. The asks were ridiculous, but I think they’re going to try to retool a lot, and using those guys to get pieces may be the way to do it.”
The fact that the Jays had actually spoken with teams regarding the possibility, despite their outrageous demands for the return, sends an uncomfortable feeling throughout Jays nation. It means that anything could be on the table with the hopes of transforming the club back into significance in the near future.
For another executive, they believed that a change of scenery for both Bichette and Guerrero, who have struggled immensely to start the 2024 season, could turn out to be a big win for both parties involved.
“Neither of them are off to great starts, but other teams might view them as change-of-scenery guys,” an NL executive explained. “Everyone knows what these guys can do, but that roster might just need a change.”
Bichette has been off to his worst start ever for his professional baseball career. For a player that has been always been Mr. Consistency when it came to production and maintaining a .300 average year in and year out, Bichette has compiled a dreadful .230 average with a .622 OPS, along with just 14 runs scored, 2 home runs and 16 RBI in 43 games played to date. That would mean 53 runs scored, 8 home runs and 60 RBI over a full season, which is way below his usual standards.
On the other hand. despite Guerrero initially stumbling out of the gate, he has recently heated up to catch up for lost time. He began the year in a hitting funk, posting a mediocre .206 batting average with a .643 OPS, 3 home runs and 10 RBI in his first 27 games. However, in his past 19 games prior to Tuesday evening’s contest, Guerrero has come around by hitting a torrid .397 with a .963 OPS, a home run and 11 RBI. But because he has often been compared to his MVP-calibre year from 2021 in recent seasons, it has left a lot to be desired by the Jays’ faithful as a result.
Both superstars have had a proven track record in terms of their abilities and production in the past. But at the same time, they haven’t been able to convert it into playoff success as the Jays have failed to advance past the first round in three of the past four seasons.
With the dynamic duo having their current contracts expire after the 2025 season, any interested teams would be getting a year of control out of it rather than just a deadline rental. But with Bichette still struggling to turn things around, Guerrero could provide potentially the bigger return if the Jays do intend to move forth with the trade and rebuild route.
We have all watched the Blue Jays grow together as a team in recent years, with both Bichette and Guerrero leading the charge in helping the team get back into contending status. To see them ultimately traded away without the team having reached peak success will be a tough pill to swallow. Nevertheless, if that is what is desperately needed to get the club back on track for now and the future, the Jays may have no choice but to make the franchise-altering move(s) in the end.
