If the New York Yankees want to find an infielder at the trade deadline, there might not be many better available than what the Toronto Blue Jays have in the form of Bo Bichette. Bichette, who has struggled for parts of this year and last season, has typically been one of the better-hitting shortstops in Major League Baseball.
He led Major League Baseball in hits twice in his career and has had some power to show with it.
In a recent article from Sporting News’ Jackson Roberts, he believes the Yankees would be their best by adding another third baseman or infielder this season. He added that with Jazz Chisholm Jr. being able to move around in the infield, the Yankees have a much easier path to find a combination of players who will make them their best.
“After losing Juan Soto to the rival New York Mets this offseason, the Yankees did a good job of rebuilding their offense on the fly. Paul Goldschmidt has been a great addition, Cody Bellinger is finally starting to heat up, and Ben Rice and Trent Grisham have been unexpected saviors.
“However, the Yankees are still one quality infielder away from the best version of their lineup. Third base has been manned all season by a strange combination of Oswaldo Cabrera, Oswald Peraza, and Jorbit Vivas. Fortunately, the Yankees have some flexibility when Jazz Chisholm Jr. returns, because they know Chisholm can play either second or third base. So, too, could a division rival shortstop whose name has been floating around the trade rumor mill,” he wrote.
Filling a Significant Need
In a proposed trade idea from Andrew Wright of Newsweek, he had the New York Yankees trading for Bichette. After Oswaldo Cabrera went down with an injury, the Yankees need another infielder.
Even before Cabrera went down, one could’ve argued that the Yankees needed somebody of Bichette’s caliber. Now, many believe he’s available.
“When third baseman Oswald Cabrera suffered an ankle injury that will sideline him for the remainder of the season, the New York Yankees instantly had a problem at third base. The club is now having to rely on Jorbit Vivas and Oswald Peraza to play third base.
“Those two aren’t exactly high-caliber players, and it leaves a bit of a hole in the Yankees lineup. That is why in this trade idea, New York pulls off a massive trade with the division rival Toronto Blue Jays to acquire shortstop Bo Bichette,” he wrote.
Could the Yankees Hang Onto Bichette Long-Term?
Not only could the New York Yankees attempt to trade for him if the Toronto Blue Jays are willing to move on from him, but there’s also a scenario where they could re-sign him. Bichette, who many expected to get $200 million a few years ago, could now be looking at a $100 million deal, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.
“Two years ago, Bichette looked like a lock for $300 million,” Passan wrote. “A brutal 2024 soured his stock, and while his average has climbed early this season, the power he showed in three consecutive 20-plus-homer seasons remains AWOL.”
It would seem unlikely that Bichette would take a $100 million deal and not sign a short-term deal to raise his value, but anything is possible in these scenarios.
Regardless, the Yankees are built to win now, and if they can grab him at the deadline, that should happen.
Yankees Trade Pitch Grabs Blue Jays Star After Latest News