Toronto Blue Jays

Bo Bichette has been included in trade rumors this season, but potential suitors will not be able to see him play in the immediate future thanks to a right calf strain.

ESPN noted the Toronto Blue Jays placed the shortstop, who has not played since Friday, on the 10-day injured list Tuesday. They also optioned pitcher Brandon Eisert to Triple-A Buffalo and recalled infielder Orelvis Martinez and pitcher Ryan Burr in corresponding moves.

Bichette is under contract for just one more season after the 2024 campaign, and the Blue Jays have struggled with consistency in fourth place in the American League East at 35-37.

There could be thought that trading him could help the team accelerate something of a rebuild or reset since this season doesn't look particularly promising, but general manager Ross Atkins shot down the idea of moving Bichette or Vladimir Guerrero Jr. during an interview with MLB Network earlier this month.

"It just doesn't make any sense for us," Atkins said. "There will be occasional times when you're talking to other executives, when they'll ask if you'd consider it, and we just say it's not something that we have spent any time on. Because they are so talented and such great teammates, they are attractive to other teams, so they will call."

As for the injury, it will prevent Bichette from attempting to turn things around for at least the next handful of days.

He is slashing just .237/.286/.342 with four home runs and 28 RBI, which is a far cry from his typical production as a two-time All-Star who launched at least 20 home runs in each of the last three years.

Bichette also slashed .306/.339/.475 last season and cracked the 100-RBI mark with 102 during his first All-Star campaign in 2021.

In an ideal world for Toronto, he will resemble his usual self after some time off and it can start stringing some wins together and becoming more of a factor in the playoff race.

For now, though, the team will be without one of the key parts of its lineup thanks to this setback.

Alek Manoah's 2024 season is officially over.

Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider revealed to reporters that Manoah is set to undergo UCL surgery on June 17, although the exact surgery is currently unknown and not definitively Tommy John surgery.

Regardless of what the exact extent of the surgery is, it will end his season prematurely.

This news came after Manoah underwent an MRI last week. It uncovered a sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow.

Manoah had a 1-2 record with a 3.70 ERA prior to the end of his season. While these numbers are not up to his 2022 standard, they are improved from his difficult 2023 season.

The Blue Jays are currently set to deploy an opener, like Trevor Richards or Bowden Francis. Additionally, it could turn to Yariel Rodriguez, who could return from the injured list in the near future.

Toronto is currently 30-32 and sits in last place in the AL East.

The Toronto Blue Jays reportedly aren't expected to become sellers until the All-Star break at the earliest amid their early-season struggles.

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Jays will not "signal their intentions" regarding what they plan to do leading up to the July 30 trade deadline until the All-Star break reaches its conclusion on July 18.

Given that the Blue Jays are in last place in the American League East at 28-31, and the fact that both first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and shortstop Bo Bichette can become free agents following the 2025 season, there has naturally been a great deal of speculation about them being trade candidates.

Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins shot down any talk of a potential Guerrero or Bichette trade this week, saying moving one or both of their star players "just doesn't make any sense for us," per MLB.com's Keegan Matheson.

Guerrero, 25, is the son of Baseball Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, and he is already a three-time All-Star, one-time Silver Slugger Award winner and one-time Gold Glove Award winner over six MLB seasons.

In 2021, Guerrero enjoyed the best season of his career, tying for the Major League lead with 48 home runs and setting career bests in several other categories as well, including RBI (111), runs scored (123), batting average (.311) and on-base percentage (.401) en route to a second-place finish in American League MVP voting.

Although he was an All-Star in both 2022 and 2023 as well, his numbers steadily declined. Last season, the slugger hit .264 with 26 homers and 94 RBI.

So far this season, Guerrero has experienced a power outage with just six home runs and 27 RBI to go along with a .295 batting average in 59 games.

Bichette, who is one year older than Guerrero at 26, is a two-time All-Star who has hit .290 or better in each of his five MLB seasons and hit 20 or more home runs in each of the past three seasons.

He is off to a miserable start in 2024, though, slashing .236/.284/.345 with four homers and 25 RBI.

Despite his poor performance, Bichette would likely fetch the Jays a ton on the trade market due to his track record of success, as would Guerrero.

While Guerrero and Bichette would undoubtedly be the most highly sought-after trade chips from Toronto, Passan noted that the Blue Jays could still make an impact as sellers at the deadline even without moving either of them.

Catcher Danny Jansen, outfielder Kevin Kiermaier, designated hitter Justin Turner and utility man Isiah Kiner-Falefa are just a few of the players who could provide value to a contender down the stretch.

Toronto's season is far from over, but since it is 13 games out of the AL East lead and five games out of the final AL wild card spot, the Jays have a significant uphill climb ahead of them.

Amid rumors surrounding stars Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins clarified that the two will not be on the trade block anytime soon.

Speaking on MLB Network Radio, Atkins said he was "disappointed" to see reports that the Blue Jays could trade Guerrero and Bichette and said a trade isn't logical for the team.

"It just doesn't make any sense for us," Atkins said. "There will be occasional times when you're talking to other executives, when they'll ask if you'd consider it, and we just say it's not something that we have spent any time on. Because they are so talented and such great teammates, they are attractive to other teams, so they will call."

Given Toronto's current situation, it makes sense that teams would be calling with interest about the two cornerstones of the franchise. The Blue Jays are off to a 27-30 start, sitting in fourth place in the AL East and in desperate need of a surge to keep their postseason hopes alive.

Guerrero has 64 hits for five homers and 25 RBI this season, notching a .292 batting average through 57 games. If he can keep his batting average around that range, it could be the second-best mark of his career, just behind the 2021 season when he hit .311.

Bichette has collected 51 hits for four home runs and 25 RBI so far this season, adding a .241 batting average.

Both Guerrero and Bichette are under contract through the 2025 season, so the Blue Jays could face a pair of major decisions regarding the two within the next season. For now, Atkins feels it's best to keep them around.

When the Toronto Blue Jays revealed their lineup for Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, there was one change that immediately jumped out.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is starting at third base.

As Sportsnet noted, Sunday will be his first start at the position since the 2019 season and his first time playing third base at all since the 2022 campaign. He at least has some experience at the hot corner and actually came through the minors playing third base before shifting to first base in 2020.

Toronto clearly made such a move with offense in mind, as Sportsnet called it the team's "most offense-oriented lineup of the season," while Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet pointed out it means there is "an extra bat" in the lineup.

Justin Turner and Daniel Vogelbach are both playing as a result, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa—who often plays third base—shifted to second base for the series finale.

While Nicholson-Smith noted Guerrero frequently takes practice grounders at third base, the Blue Jays still might be sacrificing some defense with this move.

According to FanGraphs, Guerrero is responsible for minus-two defensive runs saved above average at first base this season after he posted a minus-six in the same category last year. He was also responsible for minus-three defensive runs saved above average during 824.1 innings of third base in 2019.

But fantasy baseball players don't worry as much about defense, and this could open up more positional versatility for Guerrero moving forward if the Blue Jays continue to work him in at third base.

That would make one of the game's most dangerous hitters all the more valuable in fantasy circles as he looks to provide more power as the season progresses.

Guerrero is slashing .292/.390/.406 with five home runs and 25 RBI this season. He is coming off three consecutive All-Star appearances and three straight years of at least 26 home runs, including when he led the league with 48 in 2021.

More power would surely help the Blue Jays in their ongoing efforts to turn things around with wins in four of their last five games after a disappointing 23-29 start.

So would passable defense at third base, which would give manager John Schneider more options when filling out his lineup card.

Payton Henry, a Triple-A catcher in the Toronto Blue Jays' system, was taken to the hospital after being hit in the head by a backswing during a game.

The Buffalo Bisons announced Henry is "alert and appropriately responsive" after being transported to the hospital for evaluation.

The incident occurred in the seventh inning of the Buffalo Bisons-Syracuse Mets game when Pablo Reyes swung and his backswing caught Henry in the left side of his helmet.

Per Michael Avallone of MLB.com, Henry's catcher mask fell off and he fell forward before rolling on his back in pain.

"As Buffalo's athletic trainer and manager Casey Candaele knelt at Henry's side, he reached for his head. The trainer immediately called over to the Syracuse dugout to have them call for emergency services," Avallone wrote.

Henry was put on a backboard to stabilize his movement and loaded into an ambulance before being taken to a local hospital.

The game was called in the seventh inning after the incident following a conference between Candaele, Syracuse manager Dick Scott and the umpires to discuss if they wanted to continue.

Henry is in his first season in Toronto's farm system. The 26-year-old was a sixth-round pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2016 and spent seven years in their system. He signed with the Blue Jays as a minor-league free agent in December.

The Toronto Blue Jays are entering night mode.

Toronto revealed its 2024 city connect jerseys Thursday and received a little help from actor Simu Liu, who narrated the video:

"Night mode," Liu said. "Embracing the vibrant colors of the streets stitched across our chest. An iconic skyline reflecting on the shore."

The black jerseys have blue and red throughout and, most notably, feature the Toronto skyline across the front.

The CN Tower and Rogers Centre stand out the most

"Every detail of the uniform, from the sharp lines to the bold colours, is a tribute to Toronto's nightlife, capturing its spirit of adventure, its passion for sports and its unwavering love for the city's unique culture," the team's website said.

The Blue Jays are one of the last teams to receive city connect jerseys.

As Anthony Gharib of ESPN noted, 20 of the league's teams already had such jerseys ahead of the 2024 campaign. The Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Tampa Bay Rays, Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Guardians, St. Louis Cardinals, Blue Jays, Minnesota Twins and Los Angeles Dodgers are the nine teams with city connects this year.

The Dodgers have some and will be the first team in the league with multiple city connect looks.

Following the 2024 campaign, the New York Yankees and Oakland Athletics will be the league's only teams without such jerseys.

Perhaps the new unis will inspire something of a turnaround for the Blue Jays, who have largely disappointed this season with a 26-29 record. They are in last place in the American League East and 11 games behind the first-place Yankees.

The Toronto Blue Jays reportedly set "ridiculous" asking prices in trade talks for first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and shortstop Bo Bichette.

"I don't think they're opposed to it," an executive told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. "They've talked to teams about it. The asks were ridiculous, but I think they're going to try to retool a lot, and using those guys to get pieces may be the way to do it."

The Blue Jays are currently in last place in the AL East at 21-25 and have the third-worst run differential in the AL (-40).

Guerrero is eligible for free agency after the 2025 season. He won his arbitration case over the winter and is raking in $19.9 million, an all-time Blue Jays record for an arbitration case.

Bichette avoided arbitration by signing a three-year, $33.6 million contract and won't hit free agency until 2026.

While Toronto still has time to determine how it wants to handle the immediate future, Guerrero and Bichette are nine-figure players who would cause a massive increase in the Blue Jays' payroll. Toronto currently ranks ninth in MLB with a $225.8 million total payroll.

No player on the Jays makes more than $24.2 million. Guerrero and Bichette are a virtual certainty to eclipse that number and could sent the Toronto payroll skyrocketing toward the $300 million mark.

It's unlikely ownership is willing to pony up that type of cash for a roster that's been swept in the Wild Card Round the last two seasons and hasn't won a playoff series since 2016.

It took a painful incident, but Toronto Blue Jays fan Liz McGuire is receiving her own Topps card.

McGuire reached out to the Blue Jays on Sunday and revealed she was struck in the face by a 110 mph foul ball that Bo Bichette hit. What's more, she didn't even end up with the ball.

Topps responded to the situation by creating 110 copies of a card and plans on giving them all to her:

It's safe to say she is a fan of the card company's decision:

At least McGuire got to see a Blue Jays victory as well, as Toronto defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 5-2 in Sunday's American League East clash. Bichette was hitless, but Daniel Vogelbach went 3-for-4 with a home run, double, three runs and one RBI.

The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Blue Jays, and they parlayed the momentum from that result into a victory over the Chicago White Sox on Monday.

They are still in last place at 21-25 but at least seem to be trending in the right direction after the last two games.

And one of their fans now has quite the keepsake as well.

Even though Shohei Ohtani has settled in nicely with the Los Angeles Dodgers, he was unintentionally involved in one of the great instances of free-agent speculation in MLB history during the offseason involving the Toronto Blue Jays.

Addressing the situation with The Athletic's Andy McCullough, Ohtani said via Dodgers interpreter Will Ireton he "was as surprised as any fan" by the news that was going around regarding the Blue Jays.

"But I did meet with the Blue Jays organization," Ohtani added. "The impression that I got was that it was a really, really great organization. The fans are really good, too. Love the city, too. So I'm really looking forward to going to Toronto."

The ordeal took place on Dec. 8 starting with an account on X identifying a private plane leaving John Wayne Airport in Anaheim for Toronto, leading some people to surmise Ohtani was traveling to Canada.

Canadian opera singer Clarence Frazer cited a source who said Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi made a reservation for more than 50 people at an "upscale sushi restaurant near Rogers Centre" for that night.

J.P. Hoornstra of Dodgers Nation, an accredited BBWAA member, reported Ohtani was going to sign with the Blue Jays and a formal announcement was "expected as early as tonight."

MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported Ohtani was on a plane to Toronto, but that was quickly refuted by multiple reporters. Morosi later issued a retraction and apology for the error.

Several Blue Jays players told The Athletic's Jayson Stark they did see the rumors as they were happening, with Jordan Romano admitting he "might have clicked" on one of the links that was tracking the flight Ohtani was rumored to be on.

Ohtani got to announce his decision on Dec. 9 on Instagram, writing he was going to sign with the Dodgers. He received a 10-year, $700 million contract with $680 million of the deal being deferred when he will receive annual payouts of $68 million per year from 2034 to '43.

Things are working out for Ohtani on the field in Los Angeles. He leads MLB in batting average (.364), slugging percentage (.677) and ranks third in on-base percentage (.430) in 25 games this season.

The Blue Jays are doing okay with a 13-11 record through 24 games. They trail the New York Yankees in the American League East by three games.