Bo Bichette’s bond with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is a reminder of what could have been

Bo Bichette returned to the Rogers Centre as a visiting player for the first time with the New York Mets on Monday night (Jun. 29).

Emotions were appropriately high for Bichette’s homecoming. The Blue Jays honoured their long-time shortstop with a touching video tribute, and the fans in Toronto gave him a deserved standing ovation when he stepped into the batter’s box. Nothing pulled on heartstrings more, however, than when Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. re-united with a pre-game embrace during warm-ups. 

What made Bichette and Guerrero such a special duo?

A teary-eyed Bichette told reporters he gave the Blue Jays everything he had before Toronto’s eventual 2-1 win on Monday night. There is no doubt that he did. 

The two-time All-Star led the American League in hits twice during his seven seasons in Toronto and was on pace to do it again in 2025 before getting injured in early September. His .294 batting average as a Blue Jay is the fourth-best in franchise history. 

Bichette authored his most iconic moment during Game 7 of the 2025 World Series when he crushed a three-run home run off Shohei Ohtani after the Los Angeles Dodgers intentionally walked Guerrero to face him. It would have immortalized him in baseball history had they won the game. 

This moment nonetheless embodied what made the dynamic duo of Vladdy and Bo so special. They shared the spotlight for years as co-stars despite having two incredibly different personalities, each capable of delivering a truly epic moment whenever they stepped up to bat. 

The career journey the two of them shared was special, especially in today’s game, where top prospects are often traded for established major league players. 

Bichette and Guerrero climbed through the minor leagues together, growing alongside each other as brothers and teammates while coming into their own as players. Blue Jays fans knew about the two of them long before they were playing in Toronto. 

The two of them experienced all the emotions during their time together as Blue Jays. The excitement of being a young upstart team, the crushing disappointment of coming up short—it was all part of the journey. For a moment, it looked as if they would even get to share the joy of becoming champions. 

Now Bichette and Guerrero are on separate paths. Whether it was money, rumoured tensions with Toronto’s front office, or simply a desire for a new challenge, what ultimately drove Bichette to sign his new three-year, $126-million contract with the Mets will likely never be known. Perhaps it was some combination of everything.

What is clear, however, is how neither of them have looked the same without each so far in 2026. Both are running stat lines well below their career averages—is it coincidental or further proof that they made each other better, intentionally or otherwise? 

All that can be known for certain is that the Bichette and Guerrero era is over for now. It seems like they will play out the rest of their careers separately barring something unexpected, but the bond they built will live on as a bittersweet reminder of what was and what could have been. 

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow