Should Bo Bichette move to a new position for Toronto Blue Jays?

The Toronto Blue Jays’ biggest storyline this offseason keeps taking new turns.

Star shortstop Bo Bichette is a pending free agent this winter and is set to be one of the biggest names to hit the market.

Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro stated that “Bo will certainly be a priority” when speaking to MLB Network radio earlier this week, suggesting the team is interested in keeping the fan favourite around.

Bichette is having an exceptional offensive season, leading the American League with 154 hits. But Bichette’s defence hasn’t exactly been up to par, as he’s at a Fielding Run Value of -7, the worst mark in his career.

ESPN’s Buster Olney suggested that executives and staff members around the MLB have been speculating that a positional switch for Bichette may be in order, particularly if he ends up playing on a new team.

“It depends, in large part, on what Bo really feels in his heart about, I think, to some degree about playing shortstop,” Olney said in a radio appearance on TSN 1050 this week. “I know when I talk to evaluators with other teams, they feel like he’s going to need to move [to a new position]. That he’s going to need to be a second baseman, maybe a third baseman, but go someplace else… I’m assuming he’s going to want to stay at shortstop if he stays with the Blue Jays.”

With shortstop being viewed as one of the most valuable spots on the diamond, Toronto might have to convince Bichette to try something new, as he’s never played elsewhere during his time in the majors.

Heart-to-heart conversations about positional changes aren’t always easy, as it was reportedly one of the key factors in Rafael Devers’ eventual trade away from the Boston Red Sox earlier this year.

It’s a delicate tightrope for Toronto’s front office, but perhaps one they’d explore if they feel it’d be the best way to keep an offensively productive Bichette a useful contributor in their lineup.

Who else do the Blue Jays have at shortstop?

Toronto has drafted Arjun Nimmala and JoJo Parker in the first round of the 2023 and 2025 drafts, respectively. Parker is just 18 and fresh out of high school, while Nimmala is 19 and now in his third year as a pro.

“I have 100 per cent confidence that I will play with the Toronto Blue Jays one day and make an impact,” Nimmala said in a recent profile by NBC News.

On Parker, the Jays have less familiarity with him due to the recency of the pick.

“We’re anxious to see how he uses everything we have to offer to keep elevating his game,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider told reporters earlier this month, per MLB.com’s Julia Kreuz.

What does Bichette think of his future in Toronto?

For Bichette himself, we can only read into what he’s said about his pending contract situation, rather than his actual thoughts on playing a new position.

“My priorities have always been to win, to be part of an organization that has that same goal in mind, and I want to play in an exciting environment. We’re checking all those boxes,” Bichette said, per MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson. “It’s a special time right now, and the fans are definitely making their case known.”

If Bichette’s biggest priority is winning, perhaps a new role would make sense for him if either Parker or Nimmala look like a long-term replacement at shortstop. But that’s a big if, and potentially a long way away given the two youngsters’ ages and relative pro inexperience.

In any case, it’ll be an interesting few months — or years, even — to monitor if Bichette ends up switching to a new role, whether that’s in Toronto or elsewhere.