While Bo Bichette could be a perfect trade addition for the Los Angeles Dodgers this month, a trio of MLB insiders recently poured cold water on the notion of a move for the Toronto Blue Jays All-Star.
Heading into the MLB games today, the Los Angeles Dodgers are just a few games out of owning the best record in baseball. While the expectation was that they would dominate the league this season after spending a massive sum of money in the offseason, their position in the MLB standings is impressive considering they are not at full strength.
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The organization is expected to be active before the July 30 MLB trade deadline and one position they definitely could look to upgrade is the middle of the infield. Mookie Betts will eventually return from his wrist injury and giving him a better running mate up the middle could further solidify the team as a World Series favorite in the National League.
One top player who could be available before the deadline and seems like a perfect fit is Blue Jays’ two-time All-Star Bo Bichette. He and Betts could form a dynamite-hitting combo and shortstop and second. However, when it seems like a good idea on paper, The Athletic MLB insiders Will Sammon, Patrick Mooney, and Ken Rosenthal explained why president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman may pass on a deal for the 26-year-old for one specific reason.
- Bo Bichette stats (2024): .231 AVG, .287 OBP, .332 SLG, 4 HR, 28 RBI, 27 R
“Bo Bichette looks like an ideal fit for the Los Angeles Dodgers if the Toronto Blue Jays decide to trade him. There’s just one problem: His defense at shortstop,” the insiders wrote on Monday. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, going back to his days with the Tampa Bay Rays, is a stickler for defense. Think back to the Dodgers’ biggest position-player acquisitions — Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Manny Machado — at the 2018 deadline. All were strong defenders. Bichette, 26, is not.
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“Rival evaluators say Bichette can get careless at short, rushing at times. He also has been on the injured list with leg injuries three times in the past calendar year, perhaps contributing to his diminished range,” they added. “Bichette entered Sunday ranked 23rd among shortstops in Outs Above Average and 28th in Defensive Runs Saved. In the previous two seasons, he was 30th and 28th in OAA and 33rd and 12th in DRS, respectively.”
Furthermore, if the Blue Jays did choose to trade the young star — which is a big if — the asking price is expected to be steep since he is still under team control for another season. Bichette is also having a down year at the plate, which could also be due to his recent injuries.
