Each offseason at MLBTR, we take a look at the potential markets for some of the top names in free agency. Steve Adams examined which clubs should be in the running for #1 free agent Kyle Tucker earlier this week.
We now move to the consensus #2 hitter in the class, Bo Bichette. The two-time All-Star is coming off a .311/.357/.483 showing with 18 homers across 628 regular season plate appearances. A sprained left knee ended his regular season and cost him the first few rounds of the playoffs. Bichette made it back for the World Series. Despite clearly being limited and having gone a month without the benefit of live at-bats, he came back to hit .348 in the Fall Classic. His towering three-run homer off Shohei Ohtani in Game 7 would have gone down as one of the biggest moments in Toronto sports history if not for the Dodgers' ninth-inning comeback.
Bichette is one of the younger free agents in the class. He'll turn 28 a few weeks before Opening Day. He's a middle infielder who has been a well above-average hitter in all but one season of his career. The lone exception (2024) was a year in which he had three stints on the injured list. He has otherwise posted an OPS above .800 in every season and owns a lifetime .294/.337/.469 slash line. He has twice led the American League in hits and would have done so again this year if not for the knee injury.
The lingering question is how long Bichette can stick at shortstop. He's a below-average runner with middling arm strength who rates as one of the weakest defensive shortstops in MLB. The glove was an issue even before the knee sprain, which could increase some teams' concerns about his lateral quickness even if it's expected to heal without surgery.
The Blue Jays used him at second base in the World Series to limit his defensive workload. Most or all 30 clubs would project him as a second baseman by the end of a long-term deal. There are some for whom he'd only fit as a second baseman already. Bichette hasn't tipped his hand publicly about whether he'd be open to a position change, but that'd create more opportunities that would drum up interest.
Bichette rejected a qualifying offer. A signing team would give up draft compensation and/or international signing bonus space to add him. That's not much of a factor for a free agent of this caliber. MLBTR predicted Bichette to command an eight-year, $208MM contract -- joining Tucker as the only players for whom we're predicting $200MM+ this winter.
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No for the Yankees, but thanks anyway!!’
Depending on Stanton’s health he would be the Yankees second or third best batter
Dustyslambchops23: Correct. He would be their second best hitter if Stanton is healthy. 🤣
Bichette easily becomes Yankees 2nd best hitter behind Judge and likely team leader in hits and sometimes avg annually. Judge won’t hit .300+ often which is why .331 in 2025 was unbelievable for a power hitter with his frame size.
Since bichette started his career, in the same season, bichette has been better at the plate exactly one time over Stanton.
Well that’s not a 1st place mentality. Yankees use to be cool man go out and sign everyone. Since Hal came in it’s been nothing but crying about payroll as the dodgers open up the piggy bank
Big daddy you mean defer the piggy bank?
Big Daddy, the finances have changed. Years ago, teama like the Yankees didn’t have to revenue share, with that sharing more teams are now willing to pay at the top of the market (at one time it was basically just the Yankees and Boston). Also, Google how much $300k is (around the amount of their expected payroll) and $55m, what the Yankees payroll was in 1995, thirty years ago. It comes out to between $145m and $155m per an AI search. They are in present value dollars paying so much more today as are all clubs I would have imagined. If anything, fault the fans for not supporting the club like Dodgers’ fans support their club (tongue in cheek).
@Mercenary.Freddie.Freeman you’re just a sad little loser hiding behind an anonymous account.
Yankees biggest mistake was building that stupid stadium paying the city $100 million annually!!! They should have remodeled the existing Yankee stadium extensively which would have been cheaper plus they already owned the land so that bond payment disappears. The old Yankees stadium was magical and opposing teams feared that park. Complete waste of $2.4 billion $$$ and Steinbrenner would not be crying poverty
“There’s enough smoke out of Pittsburgh that it’s fair to expect the Pirates to do something notable in free agency.”
Don’t do this to me.
The smoke is just the dumpster again but I suspect you know that.
They have Griffin flying through the minors and some are already saying he’s going to be their SS coming north but what a nice pipe dream it would be to have Bichette next to him.
Yeah. Nice to dream
I believe the largest FA contract the Pirates have ever given a position player is 2/$17m for Russell Martin and he put up 10 WAR in those two years.
I’m not holding my breath they sign someone for more than that, and if they do I definitely am not expecting an MVP-level return like they got with Martin.
Skenes will be next Pirate player to be traded as soon as end of 2027 season where he still has 2 yrs arbitration remaining.
I think the smoke is from a fire Cherington set in his backyard to distract attention while he waits for this year’s Tommy Pham to appear.
Yeah. Not…a…chance….
There are probably only about 6-8 teams that would lay out this kind of cash. How many really need a shortstop that badly though?
The question really is: How many teams new a .311 BA hitter added to their lineup?
Answer : EVERYONE OF THEM!!!
Usually the Padres would just sign them if they’re a shortstop but even they are tapped out at this point.
In ‘24, the Padres were starting six shortstops and two second basemen—a middle infielder everywhere except behind the plate and on the mound.
Some one off non competitive team like the giants offer him 8 years top dollar . If Toronto don’t have anyone else in aaa long term at ss next year, I could see a resigning .
Gimenez would play SS, though they do have a top 100 prospect at SS in the minors
Two, in fact. Parker at 43 and Nimmala at 68
Citizen 1:Giants could afford that and calling them non competitive isn’t true. Regardless of the Mets collapse, the Giants were 2 games back of the Mets along with the Reds with about a week left. Giants didn’t capitalize. Reds got in. Despite the unimpressive record, the Reds got into the playoffs. So having a shot at the playoffs going into the last week+
Completion of the post above:is mildly competitive.
It’s a daydream, but Bichette would look awesome batting second between Anthony and Bregman in Boston’s line up.
swan – If forced to choose, I’d go with Bo.
But yeah, probably not gonna sign both. They’ve got Mayer and Story don’t forget.
I always felt the Giants were a good fit for him. After Adames getting signed it became an afterthought. He would fit nicely at second though.
Trouble is it would be another long-term contract for the infield. But there’s no denying that Bichette is a perfect fit in the Giants lineup at 2b. Would love it, but doubt it will happen.
Agree
Hardest 4 positions to get offensive production – Catcher, CF, SS, & 2B. So if the Giants can get production from SS & 2B by buying a free agent. I think that would be obvious. Not everyday, high-prized SS, 2B, or Catchers come on the market.
I believe the Giants will give Casey Schmitt a real shot at 2B this year. I think he’s going to surprise people. It would also save the Giants a lot of money that could be used on pitching.
It would be the Yankees if they’d admit to themselves what everyone knows Volpe is and if they didnt blow half their spending limit bringing back Grisham
Yep Grisham. Has the best year of his career and the Yankees bite with a QO and get burned when it’s accepted.
If this was the Yankees of old and the payroll didnt matter, it wouldnt be such a burn. But if we’re going off of Hals 300MM number, its a huge hit
@Mercenary.Freddie.Freeman you believe in that conspiracy too? You truly are something else. You’re the worst.
I thought MAYBE the Cubs might flip Nico for a starter if Hoyer didn’t trade Cam Smith for a waste of Kyle Tucker and then Shaw could take his place. Smith , Swanson, Shaw and Busch would have been interesting to see. Now that idea is dead and Shaw is playing third that whole plan can be scrapped. Triantos isn’t really a full time option and Ramirez isn’t ready so you can put that in your back pocket and forget about it.
Bichete signing could turn out like when the cubs signed Jeff blauser
Bo is staying with Blue Jays.
Phillies should offer 9/235M. Trade either Stott or Bohm. It would mean Schwarber js probably gone tho. Bc they would need to sign JT and sign someone in the OF. Preferably Bellinger if you’re going to go all-in.
batters, The Phils won’t go 5 years on most stars, let alone 9 years. I agree Schwarber is headed elsewhere, and the Phils should try to resign Realmuto and sign Bichette. If it was my call, I’d bring up Crawford and Miller, and try to resign Bader to a 2 year deal with options. Bellinger would be nice too, but he may want too many years or too much coin. Another possibility is Starlin Marte who is a free agent and could be added for depth and DH work.
An outfield of Crawford, Turner, and Bader; an infield of Bohm, Miller, Bichette, and Harper; Realmuto plus an upgrade backup catching, and a rotating DH would allow the Phils to buy more pitching – starting and relief.
Remember that if Wheeler plays or not in 2026, his large salary is counted toward the team’s salary cap, and the Phils have already resigned their arbitration players to higher salaries. So, even if Schwarber signs elsewhere, the Phils still have to come up with enough money to retain Realmuto and finance a few new acquisitions.
Insofar as they probably won’t get much back in return and will have to pay part of his salary, I would keep Castellanos to rotate through the OF and DH. He’s more valuable to the Phils than most people realize.
The PBO that signs Bichette to anything more the a straight 2yr deal will not be the PBO going forward. Bichette is the most over valued player in the league. Teams with the best analytics department know better and will not be involved in pursuing Bichette for anything more then a two year 2B rental. And, the 2yr contract he will receive will reflect the most likely event of a half year in ‘27. This is the reality of Bichette. Smart teams aren’t playing the fandom game anymore. Times have changed.
trip, The Phils need to upgrade 2B and get rid of Stott and his bubble gum walk-up music. It’s a shame because Stott plays very good defense at 2B and SS but has become a liability at the plate. Bichette would definitely upgrade 2B for the Phils. Miller is said to be the best SS in the organization, and the time has come for the Phils to start tapping their minor league resources.. Turner may help the Phils more in the OF than at SS. He is a very inconsistent defensive SS, and probably a better fielding outfielder. A move to the the OF could potentially help his bat and base-running because it would be less demanding than playing SS for him. Adding Crawford to the OF would make it easier for whoever is playing next to him.
A really good 2yr fit for the Phillies. Marte from the Diamondbacks as well, 2yrs though that’s it, the Phillies would be taking a chance on getting stuck with his final 3yrs being underwater.
LOL
That might be wise …if the defensive/arm strength concerns escalate …but somebody is going to bet big against this trollery. Guy can hit like he does is going to get paid.
Facts don’t back up your opinion, as dramatic as it is.
Excluding his injury season in ‘24, bichettes 125 wrc+ ranks 25th in the entire league in the last 5 years. Despite his defensive shortcomings, he’s a perennial 4 WAR player, in which in the last year there were less than 45 in position players, that’s 1.5 per team.
Bo instantly becomes a top 3 second baseman in the league, very much doubt anyone is going to lose their job by giving bo at 28 a 5 or 6 year deal. Outside of the dbacks and the brewers he improves anyone’s keystone
The idea that a 3 year at 31 is going to be catastrophic makes absolutely no sense
He’d be a valuable pinch hitter for the Dodgers.
As Angels fan. I rather the Angels use the $$$ for Bregman and let Moore have 2B
He’ll want to remain a SS. At least in the shorter term. Dodgers. Betts moves back to right. Toescer moved.
No is coming back to the Jays to play second. He’s made it known it’s where he wants to be
I mean Bo
Every free agent has to say the nice things. He’s gone
I wonder if the Cease signing takes the Jays signals Bo not coming back?
No Cease replaces Bassit.
Cease took deferrals!
Welcome the Dodger’s new second baseman….
According to who?
Phillies!! I know, just a dream but a good one non-the-less.
Put Bo at 2nd or RF or hell….. tell turner he is moving to LF/RF
Face it. The Jays are the Dodgers/Yankees of Canada, all rolled up into one.