"Bo Bichette has literally been one of the worst offensive players in baseball" - Sportscaster justifies Blue Jays’ rumored split with 2x All-Star
Canadian sportscaster Ben Ennis feels the Toronto Blue Jays are justified in looking to trade Bo Bichette as he has been quite ineffective from an offensive standpoint this season. Ennis seems quite certain that Bichette will not be a part of the Blue Jays roster next season.
Bo Bichette is having the worst season of his career, while he has also missed a large chunk of the 2024 campaign due to injury. He has only played in 79 games so far and is currently on the IL with a calf issue. Bichette has a .223/.276/.321 slash line for the season with only four home runs and an OPS+ 70.
On Monday, Ben Ennis was a guest on the "J.D. Bunkis Podcast" on Sportsnet, Canada. Ennis is the co-host of the FAN Morning Show on the same network. He was asked on the podcast to shed his thoughts on the current situation regarding the Blue Jays shortstop.
"[Bichette] has been awful. He's not been helpful for one second all season long. He's been literally one of the worst offensive players in baseball when he was on the field," Ennis said.
"Everybody seems to indicate that Bo Bichette, as soon as he is contractually eligible, will depart the Toronto Blue Jays. There have been so many breadcrumbs that he is not enamored by the franchise. He's thinking about his next destination," he added.
The Blue Jays (58-67) are currently in last spot in the American League East standings, dropping out of the playoff race even before the trade deadline. Looking ahead to next season, their front office is reportedly keen on moving Bichette as they look to reposition the team for a postseason run in 2025.
Cannot afford to lose Bo Bichette for nothing: Ben Ennis
The Toronto Blues Jays offered Bo Bichette a massive pay rise following an outstanding season in 2023, where he picked up his second All-Star selection after finishing in the top 20 of the AL MVP voting for the third straight year. He has a $12 million annual salary for 2024, which is set to rise to just over $17.5 million for next season before he becomes a free agent:
"You cannot afford to lose him for nothing. But also, [Bichette] is not going to get what he wants in the free agent market if he doesn't dance for his dinner," Ennis said on the podcast.
"I think [Blue Jays] will do their darndest to try and find a trade package that makes sense for them. [One] that puts them in a position to have win-now pieces for Bo Bichette because they see the writing on the wall," he added.
At the moment, Bichette is on the 10-day IL nursing a calf strain on his right leg. He is expected to join the Blue Jays lineup later this month.