Bo Bichette’s contract situation is one of the biggest talking points for the Toronto Blue Jays right now. With free agency on the horizon, his future is still up in the air. Will the team extend an offer that matches those given to other top shortstops, or will the pressure of his upcoming free agency push his price even higher?
Can Bo Bichette Command a Deal Similar to Other Shortstops?
The Blue Jays are dedicated to keeping their star players, as shown by Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s recent 14-year, $500 million contract. General manager Ross Atkins has made it clear that he wants to keep both players on the roster.
The Toronto Star’s reporter Hayden Godfrey predicted that there’s a chance Bichette might get an extension like other shortstops. He said that Fernando Tatís Jr. is probably the most similar in style because they are both young, athletic, and eager hitters. However, their situations are not the same.
Tatís secured a massive 14-year, $340 million extension with the San Diego Padres after just 143 major league appearances. A common tactic to retain young stars at a better price, this decision was made well before his chance to hit free agency.
This time, things are very different. Bichette is almost a free agent. He is older and has played in more than 500 MLB games throughout five seasons, making him a much more experienced player. This gives him a lot of power in talks, so he’ll probably raise his offer price compared to Tatís.
The Blue Jays may compare his hitting style to Trea Turner and Willy Adames if they don’t see him on the same level as Tatís.
However, when Turner signed his $300 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, he had 1,000 more plate appearances than Bichette does now. When Adames signed his $182 million deal, he had almost 900 more plate appearances.
“Bo is coming off a down season, so there’s no way for either side to benefit from an extension right now. I think he will re-sign after testing the market,” said a user.
Reporter Keegan Matheson had a different take on this. He stated, “Even though I’m a big believer that Bo is exactly the player he’s flashed at his peak, I understand that the last year makes it difficult to pin down a value on him in extension talks. I think this still heads to free agency.”
Matheson also noted that Bichette’s defense has improved. He can easily answer any doubts about his shortstop skills as he is approaching free agency. If his OPS remains above .800 and has a strong season, teams will definitely be interested in signing him.
The 2024 season with the Blue Jays was tough, primarily due to injuries. He suffered a right calf strain in a game against the Detroit Tigers, which put him on the injured list for 10 days. This was the third time he dealt with calf problems this season, as earlier strains had already kept him out of several games.
Bichette’s comeback was short-lived as he suffered a fractured middle finger on his right hand during pregame ground ball practice, just one game after returning from a calf injury, ending his season short.