Could Blue Jays Ship Their Star to This AL Contender at Trade Deadline?
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The Toronto Blue Jays have been a tough team to figure out this season.
At times, they look like the dominant force that many expected them to be coming into the campaign, pairing a shutdown pitching staff with a bludgeoning offense that dominates their opponents.
But they also have shown an inability to score runs, too, making it difficult to gauge what their true ceiling is this year.
That also creates a challenge when it comes time for the trade deadline.
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The Blue Jays would likely prefer to be buyers, adding to the roster so they can make a run at the playoffs and potentially go deep into October since the American League is on the weaker side. However, they also have some impending free agents who teams around the sport would love to add, so if they are out of contention, then they could be massive sellers.
In steps Bo Bichette to that discussion.
The star shortstop is scheduled to hit free agency at the end of this campaign, and even though his production has dipped from the three straight 120 or more OPS+ seasons that he put together from 2021-23 when he was named an All-Star twice, he is still expected to get offered a large contract.
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Whether or not Toronto is interested in extending a lucrative deal to Bichette is something they need to figure out, because if he's not in their long-term plans, then trading him this year could be the smart play.
If that's the case, then Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required) believes he could be a possible trade target of the Detroit Tigers.
Despite owning the best record in the AL, the Tigers have some clear needs on their roster.
Bichette would provide a major boost for Detroit, and since that organization has one of the best farm systems in all of baseball, there's a chance the Blue Jays could take advantage of that and get back a hefty return package.
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It will be interesting to see what Toronto's front office decides to do with their star.
If he's made available, he'll be one of the most coveted players ahead of the deadline and could allow the Blue Jays to get back strong pieces who could fit around Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for the foreseeable future after he signed his megadeal with the team during the season.
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