If Blue Jays' Vlad Jr walks, does Bo Bichette walk too?
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The next question is does Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette sign an extension with Vladimir Guerrero Jr hitting the free agent market in 2026?
A year ago, Bo Bichette's name followed Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s, right in the same breath of every conversation we had about the future of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Then, the 2024 season happened.
Bichette dealt with calf injuries -- over and over again -- and never looked like his true self.
His .225 average and .599 OPS were the surprises of the season, completely unlike the player who had become one of the most consistent and predictable young hitters in baseball.
He's still Bo Bichette, though, and he's still entering the final year of his contract with the Blue Jays.
All of the attention has been on Guerrero as his deadline has come to a close and he heads into free agency next year.
Where doe that leave Bichette and his extension going forward?
«No, we haven't had any talks,» Bichette said, «but from my perspective, we all grow up wanting to be one of those guys that has an opportunity to stay with an organization for their entire career. I'm just focused on what I've got to do this year to help the team win and be the best version of myself. Whatever happens will happen.»
Bichette and Guerrero will forever be tied. They were the next great hopes of this organization together, the two kids with famous last names coming to save the Blue Jays.
They've grown from teenagers into young men together, popped champagne and failed together. They don't want it to end.
«Vladdy is one of my best friends. We've had tons of conversations like that,» Bichette said. «We've talked about playing together forever since he was 18 and I was 19. That's still a goal of ours.»
Finally, there is a fear of the unknown if Guerrero . isn't a part of this team long-term.
While Bichette is coming off a dreadful year in which he posted a career-worst .598 OPS in just 81 games, the 26-year-old still owns a career 119 OPS+ after being a well-above league average hitter in his first five full MLB seasons.
This type of decision doesn't get made overnight, and there's too much time for things to happen, but a direction of the franchise will need to be sought as the farm system doesn't boast top-of-the-line talent relative to Toronto's American League counterparts.
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