With Vladimir Guerrero Jr. now secured by the Toronto Blue Jays for the next 14 years, the franchise must address the contract situation of fellow cornerstone Bo Bichette.
The Blue Jays faced a potential fan revolt if both stars left in free agency after this season, particularly Guerrero, the four-time All-Star who has developed into one of the league’s premier hitters.
Guerrero and the Blue Jays negotiated throughout the winter but the slugger paused talks at the start of spring training in February when no deal materialized. Guerrero left the door open, though, and negotiations eventually produced a 14-year, $500 million extension that should keep the 26-year-old in Toronto for his entire career.
Toronto’s delay in finalizing Guerrero’s deal may have cost them significantly, with estimates suggesting they might have saved up to $200 million had they acted sooner.
Now attention shifts to Bichette’s contract situation with one pressing question: Will the Blue Jays extend him before free agency?
Toronto Blue Jays GM optimistic about Bo Bichette’s future
In a recent interview with Sportsnet’s Hazel Mae, Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins expressed confidence about retaining the 27-year-old two-time All-Star shortstop.
“The interest is definitely there to talk about negotiations. It’s also our vision for them to continue to playing together,” Atkins said. “We will do everything in our power to see if we can line up.”
Ross Atkins on possible Bo Bichette extension:
— Hazel Mae (@thehazelmae) April 9, 2025
“The interest is definitely there.. to talk about negotiations.. it’s also our vision for them (Bo/Vladdy) to continue to play together.. we will do everything in our power to see if we can line up."#BlueJays
This statement offers hope to Blue Jays fans eager to see the organization keep both stars to build a championship contender. However, Bichette revealed earlier this week to Sportsnet that Toronto hasn’t yet approached him about an extension.
“It has been my goal since I was a kid to be with one organization my whole career, and building a winning culture with Vladdy,” Bichette told Mae. “But nothing’s on the table right now.”
Spoke to Bo Bichette about a possible extension of his own, and winning championships with Guerrero Jr.:
— Hazel Mae (@thehazelmae) April 7, 2025
"has been my goal since I was a kid.. to be with one organization my whole career, and building a winning culture with Vladdy, but nothing's on the table right now"#BlueJays
With Guerrero secured and given Atkins’ comments, momentum appears to be building for negotiations between Toronto and Bichette.
Bo Bichette looking to rebound
Bichette is working to bounce back from an injury-plagued 2024 season in which a calf strain and broken pinky finger limited him to just 81 games. During that shortened campaign, he hit only four home runs with a .598 OPS and 70 OPS+ — far below his .843 OPS and 128 OPS+ from 2019-2023, a period that included three consecutive 20-home-run seasons.
He’s started 2025 strong, slashing .291/.344/.364 through Toronto’s first 13 games. If Bichette returns to his All-Star form, it would be difficult for the Blue Jays to let him walk away in free agency.
With Guerrero secured as the cornerstone of the franchise, keeping his longtime teammate alongside him would cement Toronto’s competitive foundation for years to come.
