Apr 27, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A Toronto Blue Jays hat and glove in the dugout during the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images / John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Could the Kansas City Royals pull off the surprise move of the offseason?
Two things are clear about the Royals' 2024 season in hindsight: it was a smashing success, and yet, the Royals still weren't ready to compete with the big dogs. Their 3-1 series loss to the New York Yankees in the playoffs was a startling sign that if Bobby Witt Jr. isn't hitting, no one on their team likely is, either.
To add some spark to the offense, the Royals could look to add another dynamic hitter to play off of Witt in the lineup. And another young All-Star could surprisingly be available if his team decides to take a radical approach to the winter.
Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette was recently named the number-six "trade chip" of the upcoming winter by Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report. Bichette was the subject of trade speculation this summer, too, amid the most disappointing season in recent Blue Jays history.
"Ernie Clement did a solid job handling shortstop duties in (Bichette's) absence, and the Blue Jays could take an opportunistic approach to shopping (him) this offseason," Reuter said. "Once Willy Adames and Ha-Seong Kim are signed, there is a steep drop-off for teams still looking for an upgrade at shortstop."
Bichette, 26, could be an incredible buy-low opportunity for the Royals. He missed half of the 2024 season due to injuries and had an abysmal .598 OPS in the games he did play. But in his career from 2019-2023, he was a .299 hitter with an .827 OPS, earning All-Star selections twice.
Two obvious obstacles are the fact that Bichette plays shortstop, which Bobby Witt Jr. will have locked down in Kansas City for the next decade, and the fact that his contract is up at the end of next season. But these are solvable issues.
The first point is easy--Bichette isn't a very good defensive shortstop but would likely be a fabulous second baseman. In regards to the contract, the Royals could look at it as a move to go all-in for 2024, or use playing next to Witt as a selling point to sign a long-term extension to form a dream middle-infield tandem for years to come.