Bo Bichette vs. Tony Fernandez: Who Is the Greatest Shortstop in Blue Jays History?

[Sam Charles]

As Bo Bichette returns to Toronto this week, with both his Mets and his former team scuffling, there will be plenty of discussion about his Blue Jays legacy.

The Jays have had some good shortstops over the course of the franchise’s history, but the discussion over who is the greatest no doubt pits Bichette against Tony Fernandez.

There is no doubt that Bichette continues to be a phenomenal hitter, despite a tough start to this season, but for what it is worth… Fernandez is the greatest shortstop in Blue Jays history, and it is not a particularly close race.

That is not meant to diminish Bichette. From his debut in 2019, Bichette consistently hovered around or above a .290 batting average, posted seasons with 20 or more home runs, and drove in runs at a pace that places him among the better-hitting shortstops in baseball.

Bichette produced seasons where he topped 180 hits, flirted with 200, and finished near the top of the league in total bases. His career OPS has often sat comfortably above league average.

When comparing shortstops, you need to look beyond solely their batting statistics.

It has to include longevity, consistency, defense, and impact in the biggest moments a team has ever experienced. That is where Tony Fernandez separates himself from any shortstop that has worn a Jays’ jersey.

Fernandez debuted with the Blue Jays in 1983, at a time when the franchise was still searching for credibility. By the mid to late 1980s, he had become one of the best shortstops in all of baseball. He finished his career with over 2,200 hits, including 1,583 with the Blue Jays alone, a figure that places him among the franchise leaders even decades after his final game in a Toronto uniform.

He was a five-time All-Star, a four-time Gold Glove winner, and finished in the top ten of American League MVP voting three times.

Fernandez hit .297 in his career, an exceptional mark for a player whose primary responsibility was defense. In his best seasons, he was not just a contact hitter but a dynamic one. In 1987, he hit .322 with 213 hits, scored 100 runs, and drove in 67, numbers that look even more impressive when placed in the context of the era.

In 1990, he finished with 213, batting .306, and driving in a career high 92 runs.

But what elevates Fernandez above Bichette is the totality of his game and the way he influenced every inning he played. His defense in particular was exceptional. If you had the privilege to watch him play, you saw an effortless fluidity that is unparalleled.

Rance Mulliniks told me once that he was often left spellbound by Fernandez while playing beside him.

Fernandez did not just play shortstop; he mastered it. His style was recognizable instantly, from the way he glided across the dirt to the almost artistic motion of his throws from deep in the hole. Since defensive stats were not measured in the same way we do today, his four Gold Gloves only begin to capture his impact.

Bichette, on the other hand, was never the best defender. He has a strong arm and covers a decent amount of ground, but even compared to Andres Gimenez, Bichette was better suited for another position.

Fernandez spent parts of 12 seasons with Toronto across multiple stints, and in his prime years from 1985 through 1990, he was an everyday presence who rarely came off the field. He logged seasons with over 150 games played regularly.

Bichette, while durable in his own right, simply has not had the time yet to match that kind of sustained impact with one franchise. His injuries in the last few years with the Jays don’t help his case. Although you have to give him kudos for doing the hard work and being available during last year’s World Series.

That brings us to the matter of which player performed the best when the stakes were highest.

The Blue Jays of the late 1980s and early 1990s were building toward something, and Fernandez was at the centre of it. He was a key contributor to the team that won the franchise’s first division title in 1985. He remained an important piece as the club matured into a contender, and although he was traded before the 1992 World Series run, he returned in 1993 and played a crucial role in that championship.

In the 1993 World Series, Fernandez hit .357 and drove in nine runs. It is easy to remember Joe Carter’s walk-off home run, the moment that ended the series and etched itself into baseball history. But in Game 6, before Carter ever got his chance, Fernandez delivered a two-run single in the seventh inning that gave the Blue Jays the lead.

Bichette’s Game 7 World Series 442-foot home run off Shohei Ohtani will long be remembered by Jays’ fans as a Kirk Gibson-like moment, but while it opened the scoring in that game, ultimately it wasn’t enough.

Tony Fernandez passed away in February 2020 at the age of 57, following complications from kidney disease and a stroke. His death hit the Blue Jays community hard, not only because of his accomplishments on the field but because of what he represented.

For many fans, particularly those who grew up watching in the 1980s and early 1990s, Fernandez was the Blue Jays. He was there as the team found its footing, as it became competitive, and as it ultimately won the World Series.

Bichette is still writing his story. And who knows, maybe someday he’ll return to the Jays. Although if he ever does, it will most likely be as a second baseman.

But as things stand today, Tony Fernandez remains in his own category.

He was not just a great shortstop for the Blue Jays; he was the standard by which all others are measured.

As a Jay, Bichette gave younger fans plenty of reasons to watch, to hope, and to believe in what the future might hold.

Fernandez, on the other hand, gave fans everything a franchise could ask for.

Welcome back, Bo. We miss you, Tony.

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