The Toronto Blue Jays followed up a dramatic World Series appearance with a blockbuster offseason, perhaps the most aggressive and successful winter of any team in the sport.
The Blue Jays brought in frontline starter Dylan Cease, Japanese star Kazuma Okamoto, veteran reliever Tyler Rogers and more to build on a roster that reached extra innings in Game 7 of the Fall Classic. But there is at least one notable piece that the team was unable to secure.
Toronto Blue Jays Hear From Bo Bichette After New York Mets Move
Longtime franchise shortstop Bo Bichette has left the team for a high-value, short-term contract with the New York Mets and fans will have to get used to seeing the infield without him. Though the Blue Jays have plenty to hang their hat on this winter, adjusting to life after Bichette won’t be easy.
For years, he was the running mate of franchise slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who were both brought up in the organization’s system before arriving in the majors as tandem stars.
“Bichette and Guerrero had stated over and over how they wanted to win a World Series together, how they had talked about it in the low minors and how it was their singular focus once they got to the big leagues, three months apart,” Mike Wilner wrote for the Toronto Star. “Two incredible talents coming up through the system together and then staying together for their entire careers, or at least the lion’s share. Running mates into the franchise record books, hopefully with a few deep playoff runs along the way.”
New York Mets’ Bo Bichette Offers 3-Word Response On Toronto Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Now, Guerrero will have to fight for a World Series championship without Bichette and vice versa. But the two seem set to remain friendly and in touch off the field, as Bichette made clear when he sent a three-word message to his former teammate following his introductory press conference with the Mets.
“Always love him,” Bichette said of Guerrero in an interview with Sportnet’s Shi Davidi.
“Vladdy’s a brother for life, you know, a friend for life,” Bichette added.
And Bichette tried to emphasize that it wasn’t an easy decision for him to leave the organization where he made so much progress alongside Guerrero.
“Me and the Blue Jays were in touch all offseason, they showed interest, but at the end of the day it just became clear to me that this was the decision I needed to make,” Bichette told Davidi. “I only have fond memories of my time with the Blue Jays. I only have fond memories of the fans, they supported me so much through so much.”
Ultimately, as productive as their time together was, it seems the Blue Jays weren’t willing to offer as much money in as short a time frame as the Mets were. And, as a result, their former star tandem has been split up.