We have some more thrilling cell phone video of guys playing catch. First, Jake Bloss’ first time in a Jays uniform. Next, Max Scherzer.
The big story out of Dunedin the past couple of days has been Bo Bichette’s statement that there have been no extension talks between his representation and the Blue Jays. Attention has focused on negotiations with Vladimir Guerrero jr. for most of the winter, but Bo’s been a star with the team for just as long, and until this past season had been a more consistent contributor. It’s surprising that there haven’t been at least some preliminary discussions about keeping him in the fold. For what it’s worth, Bo says he want to stay with the franchise and with his close friend Vlad long term, and the front office has been adamant all winter that they’re not considering trading him. He added yesterday that there’s a willingness to get a deal done, I think:
Atkins re: willingness to extend Bo, via Hazel Mae.
He is by far the worst public speaking GM I’ve ever seen. It’s always nonsense and buzzwords.
— Joshua Howsam (@joshuahowsam.bsky.social) 2025-02-16T14:12:30.691Z
Look, Ross, I know English can be difficult for native MBA speakers, but get on duolingo or something man because this is a problem.
Anyway, I wrote earlier in the off-season that the best guide for Bo’s free agent prospects was probably Willy Adames. The newly minted Giant ended up beating expectations, getting 7 years and $182m (26 per). Bo will enter free agency a year younger, and his best is arguably a little better than Adames’. On the other hand, Adames has a better glove, and his plate discipline and power are likely to age better than Bo’s more contact oriented game. A solid bounce back in 2025 and Bo will likely command 7ish years at $25-28m each. Of course, a bounce back isn’t guaranteed. If the Jays can’t get a discount now, they might just want to wait and bid on him next winter. I had proposed an extension that would add 6 years and $120m to the $17.5 he’s already set to make this season. Given the strong top of the market we just say, that’s maybe a little on the low side now, but I think it’s still in the ballpark. If Bo’s willing to take $130-140 over 6 or 7 years, that probably makes a lot of sense for both sides.
In other stuff, Keegan Matheson from MLB.com has a piece on Alejandro Kirk’s first season as the Jays’ undisputed number one catcher. He spent the entire winter in Dunedin, rather than going home to Mexico as he has previously, in order to put more work into his swing before having to focus on catching once the pitchers reported. He also looks a little slimmer, although he’s always going to be a guy whose body type is “cube.” Kirk has emerged as one of the best defensive catchers in the game over the past couple of seasons, which is something of a surprise after he was touted primarily for his bat on his way up the minor leagues. He’s struggled a bit at the plate the last couple of years, although still hitting at a level that’s fine for a catcher who justifies his job with his glove. But a return to his early career offensive form in 2025 could re-establish him as one of the young stars in the game. At just 26, he’s yet another guy the team should be considering how to keep around beyond his current free agency after next season.
At Sportsnet, Nick Ashbourne has a breakdown of where all the Jays’ young depth players fit heading into camp. It’s a deep group, although not one with a lot of certainty, and I wonder if we won’t see a trade before opening day to try to clear some space and consolidate a bit of that value.
We’re officially within one week of games. The Cubs and Dodgers open the preseason at 3:05 on Thursday afternoon, and the Jays will kick off their Grapefruit League campaign on Saturday at 1:07 by hosting the Yankees. I, for one, am ready to write about actual(ish) baseball.