Getty The Dodgers could be in the market for a shortstop this winter. Will they try to bring Blue Jays SS Bo Bichette to Hollywood?
The Los Angeles Dodgers are one win away from returning to the World Series for the first time since winning it all in 2020. But whenever their postseason run is complete, questions about the 2025 roster will begin getting asked. Could they target Bo Bichette from the Toronto Blue Jays to fill their perceived hole at shortstop?
Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer discussed the “most likely trade” every MLB team will make this winter. He thinks Bichette has the highest probability of being traded by Toronto before Opening Day next March.
“This is another case where no speculation is necessary, and that is again thanks to reporting from Bob Nightengale of USA Today,” Rymer said. “He wrote in August that the Blue Jays are ‘expected to entertain trade offers’ for Bo Bichette, who ‘has no plans’ to stay as a free agent after the 2025 season. Indeed, he may have signaled as much by only selling out his arbitration years with his current contract.”
The Dodgers Were a Bo Bichette Landing Spot During the Summer
Bichette struggled through a tough 2024 with the Blue Jays. He landed on the injured list multiple times and appeared in only 81 games – his lowest number since becoming the Blue Jays’ starting shortstop in 2021. The 26-year-old posted a .225/.277/.322 line with four home runs, 16 doubles, 31 RBI and 29 runs scored in 336 plate appearances.
Even with those rough numbers, Bichette brings a track record of above-average offense at shortstop thanks to his performance between 2021 and 2023. He was a two-time All-Star while slashing .298/.339/.476 across 1,988 plate appearances. Bichette appeared in at least 135 games each season while averaging 26 homers with 37 doubles, 96 RBI and 101 runs scored.
Next year is his final campaign under a three-year, $33.6 million contract, per Spotrac. He’ll earn $17.5 million in 2025 before hitting free agency next winter.
Los Angeles dealt with issues filling shortstop throughout the regular season. They were viewed as a Bichette landing spot before the trade deadline. It got to the point where hypothetical trades that’d send the shortstop to Hollywood were consistently being proposed.
Everything will depend on the Dodgers’ offseason priorities once the playoffs conclude. However, Bichette’s past performance and contract situation make him an obvious target.
Could Offloading Bo Bichette Make Room for Blue Jays to Pursue Juan Soto?
Toronto entered 2024 with hopes of reaching the postseason for the third straight year. They ended up in the American League East basement with a disappointing 74-88 record. According to what an unidentified player told NJ.com’s Randy Miller on October 9, they’re entering the winter “desperate to contend again next season and willing to spend big-big money in the offseason to improve their roster.”
Part of that plan could include making an “astronomical offer” to outfielder Juan Soto in free agency. It seems like they’ll be fighting an uphill battle with the New York Yankees and the New York Mets. However, they’ve proven to be willing to drop an insane amount of money for a player they covet.
Last winter, Toronto finished just behind the Dodgers in the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes. They him the same $700 million he eventually signed for in LA. Trading away Bichette would only save them about $18 million. Every little bit will help — the bidding for Soto could easily reach $600 million.
