The Toronto Blue Jays lost the World Series and must now build a roster that can get back to the Fall Classic next year. The team has some key players hitting free agency.
One of the Blue Jays’ stars headed into free agency is Bo Bichette. He will likely be seeking a lucrative contract that pays him among the top shortstops in baseball. However, the Blue Jays may not be willing to pay that much if they envision him changing positions down the line. There are concerns about his defense, but his bat will get him paid by some team.
If the Blue Jays lose Bichette, the team will need a new star to pair with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer noted that Bichette’s departure is “likely” and proposed this deal that would land José Ramírez of the Cleveland Guardians in Toronto:
- Blue Jays receive: 3B José Ramírez
- Guardians receive: 3B/OF Addison Barger, SS JoJo Parker (Blue Jays’ No. 2 prospect) and SS Arjun Nimmala (Blue Jays’ No. 3 prospect)
“The Blue Jays reportedly attempted to trade for Ramírez back in 2022,” wrote Rymer. “They have gone on to bigger and better things since then, but they’ll need to make splashes this winter if they want to maximize their odds of defending their AL pennant. A trade for Ramírez would soften the blow of Bo Bichette’s likely departure, and would give Vladimir Guerrero Jr. a superstar partner in crime. And for their part, Cleveland would get two top-100 prospects and a ready-made replacement at third base in Barger, who had a breakout year in his age-25 season.”
Ramírez is a seven-time All-Star and five-time Silver Slugger. He is an American League MVP Award finalist this year and has received MVP Award votes in eight of his 13 seasons. He was the runner-up in 2020. He has also finished third in the race twice in his career.
He is one of the best, most consistent players in baseball. Pairing him with Guerrero would give the Blue Jays another elite player. They would have to find a way to build the middle of their infield without Bichette, but adding Ramírez would soften the blow of his leaving.
Andrés Giménez is still there and the former All-Star and Platinum Glover could slide over to shortstop. He had a down year at the plate, but he is a much better defender than Bichette. He and Ramírez could once again man the left side of the infield as they once did in Cleveland.
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