Olney isn't buying Bichette's comments on staying in Toronto
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ESPN Baseball Insider Buster Olney isn't buying Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette's new comments on being committed long-term to the franchise.
The two-time All-Star is due to become a free agent after the 2025 season, and told Sportsnet's Shi Davidi that his career goal is to play and win a championship with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in Toronto.
"I find the timing to be very interesting, which is why I'm more [believing it's fraudulent,]" Olney told First Up on TSN1050. "It's important for me to be absolutely fair about this, I haven't spoken to Bo, so I don't know exactly what he's thinking. It's at the end of what has been a terrible season for him, a terrible season for the Blue Jays, and there's a part of me that if I'm working in the Blue Jays front office, I'm going to call your bluff."
Bichette, 26, was involved in rumours leasing up to the trade deadline, but ultimately remained with the team.
"[Bichette's comments] reminded me of when Guerrero Jr. came out in New York and said 'I'd never want to play here,' and he walked that back," Olney said. "I think if you're Bichette, you're his agent, you're going to want to keep everything in play.
"You're going to want the Blue Jays, the organization to which you probably have more value than any other because you're a homegrown guy, you're going to want to keep them in play and you're going to want to make them believe that they have a chance to sign you.
"When I saw this I thought this was a negotiation tactic."
Bichette's value is hard to pin down at this point for either side. The sixth-year player has missed extended time this season due to multiple calf injuries, and when he has played in 2024, the output has been dismal.
He's posted career lows in batting average (.222), on-base plus slugging (.595) and home runs (four).
The likely distance between the Blue Jays and Bichette's camp in negotiations adds to the complicated situation, Olney thinks.
"Coming off this year you're probably looking at taking 40, 50, 60 cents on the dollar in terms of what his value is," Olney said.
"If you're the Blue Jays and you had a legitimate conversation with Bichette, you'd be looking at deals like Javier Baez, Trevor Story (both signed for six years, $140 million), and if you're Bichette's camp and saw what he did in 2023, you're going to want a lot more money than that."
The top contracts at the shortstop position are held by Corey Seager of the Texas Rangers (10 years, $325 million) and Francisco Lindor with the New York Mets (10 years, $341 million), and Olney thinks that Bichette's camp realistically has to look for a deal somewhere in that range, considering his pedigree from 2021-23.
"A shortstop who hits .300 and leads the league in hits, [should be looking at] over $250 million, which is why I [feel like Bichette's comments are fraudulent,]" he said.
The Blue Jays have difficult decisions to make with contracts for both of their homegrown superstars. Guerrero Jr. is in the midst of an MVP-level campaign, where his .322 batting average ranks second in MLB, while Bichette is dealing with injuries and questions about his long-term playability at shortstop.
"How productive is Bichette going to be going forward? Is he going to stay at shortstop? What's the value if he has to move to second base or third base? It's super complicated off a bad year because the Blue Jays have to cover themselves in negotiation," Olney said.