The Toronto Blue Jays’ offseason has taken a gut punch - and it landed squarely in the hearts of their fans. In less than 24 hours, the club lost out on not one, but two major stars.
First, they missed on Kyle Tucker, the top free agent on the market, who chose to chase championships (and a historic payday) with the Dodgers. Then came the bigger blow: Bo Bichette is gone, too - headed to the Mets on a deal that stunned even the most plugged-in insiders.
That’s not just a tough 24 hours. That’s a franchise-altering shift.
And for Blue Jays fans, it’s starting to feel all too familiar. Bichette now becomes the third playoff hero of the Ross Atkins era to deliver a signature October moment, only to suit up elsewhere the very next season. It may be coincidence, but it’s the kind that leaves a mark.
A Pattern That’s Hard to Ignore
Let’s rewind to 2016 - Atkins’ first year as GM. The Blue Jays clawed their way into the postseason as a Wild Card team and hosted the Orioles in a win-or-go-home showdown.
That night, Edwin Encarnacion delivered one of the most iconic moments in franchise history: a walk-off, three-run bomb in the 11th inning that sent Toronto to the ALDS. The Rogers Centre shook.
It felt like a new chapter.
But Encarnacion never played another game for the Blue Jays.
Despite his clear desire to return, a breakdown in communication between his camp and the front office led him to Cleveland, where he kept mashing - 70 home runs over two seasons, with an .848 OPS. The Jays, meanwhile, didn’t make it back to October until the shortened 2020 season.
Fast forward to 2022. The Jays were back in the playoffs and hosting a best-of-three Wild Card series against the Mariners.
After dropping Game 1, Teoscar Hernández tried to drag the team back into the fight. He went off in Game 2 - two homers, three runs scored, four RBIs, and even a stolen base.
It was a performance for the ages.
But once again, it wasn’t enough. Seattle pulled off a stunning comeback, sweeping Toronto out of the postseason. And just like Encarnacion before him, Hernández was gone by the next spring - traded to the Mariners for reliever Erik Swanson.
Now, it’s Bo’s turn.
Bo’s Final Act in Blue
Bichette didn’t play in the early rounds of the Blue Jays’ 2025 playoff run, but he returned for the World Series against the Dodgers - and he made it count. He went 8-for-23, drove in six runs, and posted a .923 OPS.
His biggest moment? A clutch Game 7 home run that knocked Shohei Ohtani out of the game.
It was the kind of performance that cements a player’s legacy in a city. The kind of moment fans replay in their minds for years.
But like Encarnacion and Hernández, Bichette’s heroics weren’t enough to deliver a title. And now, they’ll serve as his final chapter in a Blue Jays uniform.
That’s a tough pill to swallow.
What Comes Next?
There’s still time before pitchers and catchers report, and the Blue Jays may well make another move before then. But there’s no sugarcoating this stretch. Losing out on Kyle Tucker and watching Bo Bichette walk in the span of a day is the kind of one-two punch that shakes a fanbase - and tests a front office’s ability to respond.
The only thing that can truly ease the sting? Winning.
Games start counting in just over two months. And when they do, the questions will shift from who left to who’s stepping up.
But make no mistake: Seeing Bo in a Mets uniform this spring is going to hurt. For a fanbase that’s watched its playoff heroes walk out the door one after another, it’s not just about the names on the back of the jersey - it’s about the memories they made while wearing the one on the front.