The Toronto Blue Jays seem to be on the right track after a disappointing start to the season.
The Blue Jays have won their fifth series in a row after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday, building on what has become a winning record in the midst of a critical season. The team is under considerable pressure to return to the playoffs after spending big on free agents and signing superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a $500 million extension.
Despite the positive trend, though, the Blue Jays have been predicted to trade away star shortstop Bo Bichette to the Milwaukee Brewers.
“The writing appears to be on the wall in Toronto. The Blue Jays haven’t made progress on a long-term extension, and allowing Bichette to walk after 2025 without a return would be a massive organizational failure,” Tremayne Person wrote for FanSided in an “early Brewers trade deadline predictions” article. “Make no mistake — Bichette wouldn’t come cheap. But the Brewers boast a deep enough farm system to craft a deal without sacrificing their elite-tier talent.”
The Blue Jays are in a tough spot with Bichette, who faces a potentially-lucrative free agency period at the end of the season. He has been one of the team’s best young players in recent years, but a harsh offensive dip last season made it much less likely that the Blue Jays would want to extend him.
Even as the team appears headed toward a playoff run, trading him away for a significant return could be a good way of maximizing the deadline. It could even yield some young pieces that are then flipped into a win-now move by the front office.
One way or another, the team’s decision on Bichette — whether that’s to hold onto him or to deal him to a likely contender like the Brewers — is sure to grab attention.
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