Opinion | Blue Jays mailbag: Will the Jays move shortstop Bo Bichette to second base?

The Blue Jays have a busy off-season ahead as they attempt to move beyond this year’s disappointing result in the wild card series and transition into legitimate contender status.

There are holes in the bullpen and the back end of the starting rotation. The lineup requires a left-handed hitter or two, the bench could use an upgrade, and some additional veterans on minor-league deals to increase overall depth would be helpful as well.

General manager Ross Atkins is expected to be aggressive in the months ahead, and the moves should come through both free agency and trade. With off-season hot stove just around the corner, it’s an ideal time to bring back to the Jays mailbag because there is no shortage of topics to discuss.

As a reminder, questions for future mailbags should be submitted to [email protected] or by reaching out to me on Twitter @GregorChisholm. The following questions have been edited for length and grammar:

I see two free agents that could be perfect fits to help push Jays over the top: Justin Verlander and Edwin Diaz. What do you think? Any chance the budget could handle one or the other?

— Terry, Toronto

I can’t argue with the fits, but it’s difficult to envision a scenario where either guy signs with the Jays.

The Jays made a run at Verlander last off-season and if he declines an upcoming $25 million player option they would be interested again. A shorter-term deal, like the one Verlander would require, makes sense for a team that needs to maintain long-term flexibility as an increasingly expensive young core gets closer to free agency. Despite the clean fit, Verlander stuck with the Astros last winter and after leading them to the World Series, he figures to do so again. Getting him now will be a tough sell.

Diaz is even less feasible because he will be seeking a long-term deal. Instead of targeting a proven closer, the Jays are more likely to bulk up by either targeting high-upside set-up men, or guys looking to bounce back after down years. Diaz would upgrade an area of need, but the Jays already have someone in Jordan Romano who gets paid to rack up saves, and they figure to save money for other areas.

Out of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Alek Manoah and Bo Bichette, who do you think gets an extension this winter?

— @swifty_P

I’d be surprised if any of them sign long-term deals this off-season. Guerrero and Bichette are down to three years of team control remaining, if a new contract is going to be worked out before they hit the open market, it almost assuredly needs to happen this winter or next. The Jays have talked with both agents, yet there remains no indication the Jays have come close to locking down either guy and I doubt this off-season will be different.

If forced to pick between the three, I’d say Manoah is the likeliest to sign. He’s not eligible for free agency until 2027, which makes him more likely to forego some of his future earning potential in exchange for a guaranteed deal. From a Jays’ perspective, the timeframe for Guerrero and Bichette makes them bigger priorities and the more important storylines to watch.

Are there any impact players leaving for sure this off-season? (For example: Marcus Semien last year.)

— Nelson, Vancouver

Not really. The only notable free agent is Ross Stripling, and while he was an impact starter this season, he’s not someone who figures to take on that role for multiple years. Stripling’s hitting the market at the perfect time after posting a 3.01 ERA in 2022, but his 134 1/3 innings were a career high and there remains long-term durability questions about his status as a mid-rotation piece. The 32-year-old is expected to get more money and longer term elsewhere.

Reliever David Phelps and reserve outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. are the only other free agents. The list is expected to grow later this off-season when the Jays having the option of non-tendering guys like Raimel Tapia and Trent Thornton, instead of paying them through arbitration.

Do you think that Bichette is the answer at SS, or do they move him to second base and sign someone? His defence is terrible at best, and he is starting to look like Lourdes Gurriel Jr. did at second base.

— @jeffsmart24

My first inclination is to respond to that question with one of my own. Are you willing to risk alienating a franchise player to facilitate that transition? Because that’s what might happen if you force a new position on someone who has been adamant about playing shortstop since the day he was drafted and has put in countless hours to stay right where he is.

This is a star-driven league and what’s stopping Bichette — now an established big leaguer — from demanding a trade if he doesn’t like how he’s being used? There are a lot of teams out there that would line up to have Bichette as their starting shortstop and once a player goes public, his team either gives into his request or deals with the fallout in the clubhouse. Neither one seems appealing for the culture-conscious Jays.

Bichette hasn’t made threats like that, at least not that I know of, but after watching him come up through the Jays system, it’s clear being a shortstop is part of his identity. He also puts in more pregame work at the position than anyone I’ve seen since I started covering baseball in 2007. With a bat like his, Bichette doesn’t need to be a great defender to bring a ton of value, he just needs to get closer to league average and the skill set is there.

I think it’s time for Jays fans to appreciate what they have, instead of constantly picking apart his weaknesses. Moving him off short isn’t a risk I’d be willing to take, at least not yet, if you feel differently, you’d make for a bolder executive than this columnist because I think the risk outweighs the reward.

What will the outfield look like next year? Are both Gurriel and Teoscar Hernández back? If not which one is gone?

— @TheRealInno905

It’s hard to provide a definitive answer before the off-season begins, but it’s logical to assume the Jays will explore the markets for both. There has been a long-stated goal by the front office to provide more balance to a predominantly right-handed lineup and the corner outfield is one of the only spots on the diamond where it could happen.

However, the Jays aren’t going to make changes just for the sake of it. They would need to find replacements while also working out trades that fill holes elsewhere. Moving Hernandez makes the most sense because it would free up approximately $14 million on next year’s payroll while clearing a spot for George Springer to get additional time in right. A move like that is contingent on finding someone else who can play centre, ideally a guy who also bats left-handed, but it’s certainly not a lock.

Is the Blue Jays best hope of adding an impact player via an Alejandro Kirk/ Gabriel Moreno deal?

– @AdrianCrisostim

That would be my expectation, but I wouldn’t rule out the Jays signing an impact player to a short-term deal. Even though Hyun Jin Ryu, Matt Chapman, Gurriel and Hernandez are coming off the books after next season, rising costs through arbitration combined with the future free agencies of Bichette and Guerrero limit the long-term flexibility this team currently has.

Based on the perceived budget restraints, this doesn’t figure to be an off-season where the Jays sign another Springer or Kevin Gausman to a long-term deal. They could, however, remain in the market for players on shorter-term deals like Michael Brantley or Michael Conforto. Overall, though, I agree with your point. The trade route seems more likely, and Kirk or Moreno pretty much must be in the deal, otherwise it’s not going to be that big of a trade.

Ideal trade targets and what areas of strength are most plausible for the Jays to deal from? Also, three “under the radar” prospects the average fan won’t know about in the Jays system?

— Chris, Toronto

I would suggest reading my column from late last week that gets into potential off-season trade scenarios. For the three under-the-radar prospects, I’ll go with infielder Addison Barger, left-hander Jimmy Robbins and right-hander Yosver Zulueta.

Barger is a left-handed hitting infielder who draws a lot of walks and has some pop. He is eligible for the Rule 5 draft in December, which means the 22-year-old should soon have a spot on the Jays’ 40-man roster and he could be ready to contribute at some point next season. Robbins advanced through three levels of the minors in 2022 while posting a 2.59 ERA and striking out 98 across 76 1/3 innings. Zulueta is the most valuable pitching prospect the Jays have outside of Ricky Tiedemann, Sem Robberse and recent first rounder Brandon Barriera.

For those interested in deeper dives on Jays prospects, I would recommend following @FutureBlueJays on Twitter. The person behind that account, D.M. Fox does a great job providing insight on the minors that goes beyond the mainstream coverage of Baseball America and MLB Pipeline.

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