Bo Bichette’s first trip back to Toronto delivered the kind of scene Blue Jays fans were waiting to see.
The former Toronto shortstop, now with the New York Mets after leaving in free agency this past offseason, was greeted with a standing ovation in his return home. That was the big emotional moment of the series, and it came after plenty of debate over whether he’d be met with cheers or boos after seven years with the organization.
On the field, Bichette didn’t light up the box score. He went 1-for-10 with one walk across the series, though he also turned in a couple of defensive plays that caught Blue Jays fans by surprise. Even with the quiet offensive line, the reaction in Toronto made one thing clear: plenty of people still have a soft spot for him.
The bigger question now is what all of this means for both sides after the split.
Toronto had every chance to lock Bichette up before he reached free agency, but the club ultimately got a deal done only with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., whose contract became the largest in franchise history. That decision has only sharpened the conversation around whether the Jays made the right call letting Bichette walk.
The two were a dangerous pairing in Toronto, but their first season apart hasn’t exactly been a victory lap for either side. Bichette got off to a slow start with the Mets in 2026, then found a little more rhythm in recent weeks. Through 87 games, he’s hitting .250 with a .676 OPS, along with 44 runs scored, 10 home runs and 46 RBIs.
Guerrero, meanwhile, hasn’t looked like the same force at the plate. In 82 games with the Blue Jays, he’s batting .267 with a .698 OPS, four home runs and 34 RBIs. Those numbers are well below his pace from last season and nowhere near what he did in the 2025 postseason.
Toronto’s replacement plan at shortstop has been solid, if not flashy. Andrés Giménez has provided strong defense, posting a .990 fielding percentage and 1 Defensive Run Saved. He’s also chipped in offensively with seven home runs and 34 RBIs in 83 games, but his .237 average, 23 runs scored and nearly 6:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio have left something to be desired.
For now, the fan reaction suggests Bichette still has plenty of goodwill in Toronto. And with reports saying he could opt out of his Mets contract after just one season, the idea of a reunion is already hanging in the air.
That possibility may come down to what happens over the rest of the 2026 season. If the Blue Jays rebound and reach the playoffs, they’ll have a strong case that life without Bichette can work. If they fall short, the questions will only get louder - and Bichette could end up looking like the missing piece when 2027 rolls around.
In Other News...
Blue Jays May Have Stumbled Into The Bullpen Find San Francisco Missed
Spencer Miles has become one of those bullpen stories teams love to uncover over the course of a long season. The 25-year-old right-hander has given the Blue Jays a steady arm, working 54 innings with a 2.83 ERA and a 4-1 record while missing bats and keeping the ball on the ground. For a Toronto relief corps that always needs dependable innings, he has gone from a Rule 5 flier to a real piece of the mix.
Miles also arrived with a bit of intrigue attached, since Toronto had to make room for him after San Francisco left him available. He has rewarded that gamble by pitching like someone who belongs, and his latest work only adds to the sense that the Blue Jays may have found a useful bullpen answer where the Giants once saw a risk. The broader question now is how far this kind of production can carry, and whether Toronto has stumbled into something more lasting than a one-season surprise. [Read more 🡒]
Cam Schlittlers Cy Young Grip Suddenly Looks Far Less Secure
Dylan Cease has given the Blue Jays another front-line arm to watch in the American League Cy Young conversation, and his recent work has been impossible to ignore. He leads the league in strikeouts, has been missing bats at a rate few starters can match, and ESPNs Bradford Doolittle recently singled him out as a pitcher worth tracking in the race, where Cease sits sixth on the tracker.
The challenge for Cease is the same one that usually separates a strong first half from a real award push: he has to keep piling up quality outings and find a way to close the innings gap on the leaders. Cam Schlittler still holds the top spot, but his edge looks less comfortable now, with Ceases case built on dominance and a chance to keep climbing if the workload keeps coming. [Read more 🡒]