A pair of Blue Jays trade rumors to squelch before they gain any traction

With just under seven weeks to go before the Aug. 1 MLB trade deadline, speculation is only going to start increasing around the league about potential targets and moves. This will be no different for the Blue Jays.

Last year's deadline was perceived as a disappointment to many for the Blue Jays. And this was without the benefit of hindsight where, if the team could have done things differently, they would certainly have steered clear of Anthony Bass and Mitch White.

There are no guarantees that this year will be any better. Regardless, at least the speculation will be interesting, whether it be legitimate or not - in other words, crazy season is upon us.

What's interesting is that the Blue Jays will undoubtedly be buyers, as they aim to strengthen their roster for a push at World Series glory. And yet, there will still be speculation about them selling, for one reason or another.

Along these lines, there are at least a couple of major Blue Jays who are already being included in trade rumor rumblings, who in reality won't be going anywhere. Here is a look at why neither player will be moved:

NB - All statistics up to and including June 15

Why Bo Bichette isn't going anywhere

Why would you move a player who hits the baseball as well as Bo Bichette? He is well on course to lead the AL in hits for a third consecutive year and has a legitimate shot at the majors overall lead as he is currently in first place in the category.

That Bichette has this shot is down to taking his offense to another level in general during 2023. As well as hits, he is on course to set single-season bests in batting average, home runs, RBI, OPS+ and total bases.

In other words, the 25-year-old is the best hitter on the team - an impressive feat considering the talent in the lineup. As if to reinforce this point, back in April he became the fastest player in franchise history to reach 500 hits, 25 games quicker than his nearest competitors.

Bichette is also in the first season of a three-year, $33.6 million deal he agreed ahead of the 2023 campaign, which avoided arbitration. In fact, rather than attempting to trade him, the Blue Jays are actually already contemplating another contract extension.

About the only negative thrown at the shortstop this season, was him too frequently making costly errors on defense. However, even this appears to have now been eradicated for the most part.

Perhaps the only (attempted) justification for moving Bichette is as part of an enticing package, especially given the Blue Jays' lack of valuable assets. However, the idea is to strengthen the roster - trading away the 2021 All-Star would have the opposite impact ... unless you're getting Shohei Ohtani in return.