Blue Jays Trade Deadline Strategy for Fan Favorite Hinges on Coming Weeks
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The Toronto Blue Jays are going to have some very tough calls to make over the next month or so, and the last month or so has made it even more complicated.
After a hot start, this is a team that for weeks struggled to play any better than .500 baseball, but now finds itself just four games out of the divisional lead and three games clear in the top Wild Card spot.
One of the most important faces of the franchise has his fate hanging in the balance not only in terms of whether he will be in the postseason, but whether he will be even on the team for the run.
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Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette is going to be a free agent after this season, and while there have been a ton of rumors surrounding a potential extension, there have been just as many if not more rumors surrounding a possible trade.
After a disastrous, injury-filled 2024 season, Bichette has come back with authority this year. The 27-year-old has slashed .279/.321/.445 with 11 home runs and 48 RBI and has been one of the central figures of the impressive year for the team.
Should he be traded, he would command a sizable return and give Toronto something to show for one of their home grown stars if he prices himself out in free agency.
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If he stays, the Blue Jays are going to have a better chance to win now.
The truth with a situation like this is that the best course of action just cannot be known yet.
With a weak American League that could be ripe for the taking, the argument can be made that Toronto should buy instead of sell and go all in on trying to win this year.
Though it's not always one or the other, this team feels like it's at a crossroads in terms of what the strategy is going to be.
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Go all in now and risk losing Bichette for nothing this winter, or cut your losses and deal him in a blockbuster.
If the deadline were tomorrow, the Blue Jays should certainly buy, especially if they think they are a couple pieces away from making a real playoff run.
With a month to go until they have to make any real decisions, it's a circumstance that needs to be monitored closely.
Bichette's status will continue to be a massive talking point over the next several weeks as Toronto figures out what the strategy is going to be.
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Michael Brauner is a 2022 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Sports Media. He covers various MLB teams across the On SI network and you can also find his work on Yellowhammer News covering the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers as well as on the radio producing and co-hosting 'The Opening Kickoff' every weekday morning on 105.5 WNSP FM in Mobile, Alabama.