Jun 8, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Oakland Athletics shortstop Max Schuemann (12) steals second base ahead of the throw to Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette (11) in the third inning at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Toronto Blue Jays Shortstop Bo Bichette Projected to Enjoy Bounce Back Season

Originally posted on Fastball on SI | By Sam Connon | Last updated Jan 13, 2025 4:00 PM ET

It remains to be seen if Bo Bichette will return to All-Star status this summer, but he should at least bounce back from his brutal 2024 campaign.

Bichette spent time on the injured list last year, appearing in just 81 games. He hit .225 with four home runs, 16 doubles, 31 RBI, five stolen bases, a .598 OPS and a 0.3 fWAR, all while Toronto failed to reach the postseason.

FanGraphs has been slowly rolling out its ZiPS projections for 2025, and Dan Szymborski wrote up a piece diving into the Blue Jays' outlook on Friday.

Using that model, Bichette is projected to bat .281 with 15 home runs, 28 doubles, 68 RBI, nine stolen bases and a .758 OPS in 2025. Between Bichette and backup Leo Jiménez, Toronto is projected to get a 3.3 fWAR out of the shortstop position this year.

2025 ZiPS Projections - Toronto Blue Jays, now LIVE at @FanGraphs.https://t.co/E5zdfXQZHg #ZiPS25
— Dan Szymborski (@DSzymborski) January 10, 2025

While those numbers are a step up from last season's, they hardly approach what Bichette's previous production.

Bichette was a .299 lifetime hitter with an .826 career OPS entering 2024. He was averaging 200 hits, 27 home runs, 40 doubles, 96 RBI, 16 stolen bases and a 4.9 fWAR per 162 games, placing top-16 in AL MVP voting three years in a row from 2021 to 2023.

A 2025 season like the one FanGraphs is projecting with ZiPS would help stabilize Bichette's career, but it likely wouldn't net him a massive contract when he hits free agency next winter. Bichette reportedly has "no interest" in remaining in Toronto long-term, so he will have to put on a show for potential suitors throughout the upcoming season.

This article first appeared on Fastball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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