Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, the Toronto Blue Jays’ first basemen and shortstops, are exactly what the San Francisco Giants need. Despite the need, the Blue Jays are an unlikely trading partner for San Francisco.
Despite a potential need, SF Giants and Blue Jays are unlikely trade partners for a pair of All-Stars
With LaMonte Wade Jr. out for at least the next four weeks, the Giants have a first-base position open. For the time being, they will meet that requirement with Wilmer Flores and Trenton Brooks.
Guerrero Jr. would certainly help as he is off to another strong season. The right-handed bat has a .791 OPS with five home runs in 258 plate appearances.
However, first base is a short-term need. What would the Giants do when Wade Jr. returns? There are a few different options such as moving Wade Jr. back to the outfield and slotting the Blue Jays slugger at first base. Guerrero Jr. could shift to DH. The Giants have Jorge Soler tabbed as the team’s DH for the next three seasons despite the slow start. Baseball is not the type of sport where you just jettison a struggling veteran in favor of another. There are a number of factors at play.
On the other hand, Bo Bichette is off to a slower start with a .627 OPS in 232 plate appearances. He has the track record in his favor as he has finished every season with an OPS above .800 since he debuted with the Blue Jays in 2019.
In the field, defensive stats suggest that he will eventually shift away from shortstop. Nonetheless, the 26-year-old has more upside than any of the Giants’ internal options.
Despite the fact that Guerrero Jr. and Bichette meet obvious Giants needs, are the Blue Jays willing to sell? That is the key question.
It’s worth noting that both players are under contract through next season. They have been key players for the Blue Jays in recent seasons, but now is the time for teams to explore a change of direction.
The Blue Jays have a 28-30 record and are seventh in the difficult American League East. Despite this, they are only 4.5 games away from a Wild Card.
They are coming off of an 89-73 season and have reached the playoffs in three of the last four seasons. The Blue Jays are still in the race and reached the playoffs as recently as last season. The ship might be sinking, but one of the hardest decisions a front office makes is when to sell.
The Giants were in a similar position in the late 2010’s and decided to maintain the status quo. It is a tough conversation and few teams fully embrace a fire sale.
