The Toronto Blue Jays fell just short of winning the World Series last season. Bo Bichette was a key part of the team’s success, but he is now on the open market.
Bichette is the best shortstop available in free agency, and he reestablished his value after a bounce-back season. He was not good in 2024, but last season he had a .311/.357/.483 slash line with 18 home runs. He also played well in the World Series after missing the rest of the postseason. He went 8-for-23 in the World Series and hit a home run in Game 7.
Bichette has been a key part of the Blue Jays’ success and has also publicly stated his desire to stay in Toronto and keep playing with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. However, it will not be cheap for the Blue Jays to keep him around. FanSided’s Spencer Lazary predicted the Blue Jays would re-sign Bichette with a 10-year, $300 million deal.
“From the Blue Jays’ perspective, their top priority should be to re-sign him,” wrote Lazary. “He is arguably the best hitter in the league. He and Vladdy Guerrero Jr. could go down as one of the best duos in Blue Jays history, if he were to sign an extension with the club.”
While Bichette does not have the same power that some other premier shortstops have, he has great contact skills. He has led the American League in hits twice and had a chance to lead Major League Baseball in hits last season before an injury knocked him out near the end of the year.
Spotrac gives Bichette an eight-year, $186 million market value, so a 10-year, $300 million deal greatly exceeds that. A $300 million deal would tie Trea Turner for the fourth-largest shortstop contract in baseball. It’s hard to argue that Bichette isn’t in the same tier as other elite shortstops offensively. However, his defense is a question mark.
He was in the first percentile of defense last year, with a minus-13 outs above average. Many experts question whether he should move to second base, but it’s unrealistic to think he will not want to be paid like a shortstop. If he does move to second base, a $300 million deal would be the highest in the league at the position.
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