Is it time for the Blue Jays to lock up Bo Bichette?

The Toronto Blue Jays are hot. At the time of this writing, they've leaped over the Houston Astros for first in the American League and have a comfortable five-and-a-half game lead over the New York Yankees.

And yet, despite all that, a cloud of uncertainty hovers over the Blue Jays regardless of how the season turns out. That cloud is shortstop Bo Bichette's status with the team.

Bichette is currently in a contract year and is expected to hit free agency after the 2025 season. Bichette has found a resurgence after a miserable 2024. The young shortstop has 13 home runs and 59 RBIs in 422 at-bats. His WAR is at 2.0, good for sixth-best among the Blue Jays.

The Blue Jays locked up fan favorite Vladimir Guerrero Jr. back in April to a 14-year, $500 million extension, securing his future. Now the question pivots to Bo: Should the Blue Jays lock him up now?

Is it time for the Blue Jays to lock up Bo Bichette?

Let's start with the immediate situation. Toronto's expectations for the season were relatively low following their disappointing 2024 season. It goes without question that had the Blue Jays been in a worse position or even out of a playoff spot, talks about trading Bichette would've arisen.

Does it make sense now for a contender to trade away an expiring contract to another contender as a rental? Probably not. Bichette plays a vital role in the lineup, and it wouldn't make sense to disrupt the team's chemistry. For example, Bichette currently bats .386 with runners in scoring position, leading the team with at least 100 plate appearances.

Then there's the future as to who would take over shortstop in the event Bichette leaves. Clement has been a viable option and is under team control until 2029, but remains stronger as a utility option for the Blue Jays. Blue Jays' top prospect Arjun Nimmala continues to develop and is at Single-A Vancouver. He's still a ways away from seeing any action in the big leagues. Orelvis Martinez is having a down year in Triple-A Buffalo, batting .196 and slugging .374. Most likely, Martinez won't see time in the Majors this season.

Simply put, Bichette should've been locked up a while ago, a near parallel situation to Guerrero Jr.'s contract situation. A homegrown talent who Toronto drafted in the second round of the 2016 MLB Draft, he's become a staple for this generation's Blue Jays.

A two-time All-Star, Bichette has already shown his potential for elite seasons, including a career-high 29 home runs in 2021. He's also received AL MVP votes between 2021 and 2023. Yes, his 2024 season was the worst of his career, thanks to a right calf strain and a broken finger. With Bichette finding his groove again at the plate in 2025, it can be a sure bet he'll eventually get back to his 2021-2023 self.

If this year's rebound wasn't enough, then his comments to MLB's Keegan Matheson about the current state of the team should also be a telling sign he wants to stay.

“My priorities have always been to win, to be part of an organization that has that same goal in mind and I want to play in an exciting environment. We’re checking all those boxes."

Back in February, Bichette made it known that one of his goals is to play with Vladdy "forever," per Matheson. He also emphasized there were no talks with management on a potential extension.

Don't let it get to free agency. It's time to negotiate.