The Toronto Blue Jays were handed some concerning news on Bo Bichette following Kyle Tucker’s signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Toronto was in pursuit of Tucker for quite some time, as the Blue Jays were looking to sign him to a long-term deal. However, he ended up signing a four-year, $240 million deal with the Dodgers, leaving Toronto to pivot.
Many thought Toronto would pivot to Bo Bichette; however, Blue Jays insider Shi Davidi of Sportsnet doesn’t think that’s likely. Instead, Davidi believes there’s a big financial gap with Bichette.
“An agreement with Tucker would have signalled the end of the Blue Jays’ relationship with Bichette, the franchise cornerstone since reaching the majors in 2019, who remains in free agency,” Davidi wrote. “But this may reopen a pathway for his return, even if it’s believed there’s a big financial gap with Bichette, who met with the Philadelphia Phillies this week.”
Bichette has spent his entire career with the Blue Jays, but he may be signing elsewhere this offseason. But the fit is still there if he does return to the team.
“Bichette excelled in the clean-up spot for the Blue Jays last year, and he could either slide over to second base, allowing Andres Gimenez to play short and strengthen the club’s defensive alignment, or remain at short with Gimenez returning to second,” Davidi added.
Bichette hit .311 with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs last season.
Insider Unsure if Tucker Ever Wanted to go to Blue Jays
Toronto was heavily interested in Tucker and was the lone team willing to go long-term with him.
However, MLB insider Ken Rosenthal said after the signing that he wasn’t sure if Tucker wanted to go to Toronto.
“I’m not sure he wanted to go long term,” Rosenthal said during a Jan. 15 appearance on “Foul Territory.” “I’m not sure he wanted to go to Toronto. Toronto is much more of a destination than it has been in recent years. Actually, all the players they missed out on, it was circumstances in each case.
“We have seen this offseason the Blue Jays spend more than every other team, $337 million total with their four free agent signings, including, of course, Dylan Cease right at the top of that. So free agents do want to go there. It doesn’t mean every free agent wants to go there. And it doesn’t mean, in Kyle Tucker’s case, that he wanted to sign long-term there. So if his preference was short-term with opt-outs. Which is what he got, four years with opt-outs after years two and three.”
Tucker is a four-time MLB All-Star. He hit .266 with 22 home runs and 73 RBIs last season.
Phillies Expected to be High Bidders for Bichette
With Tucker now coming off the board, the focus will now turn to Bichette.
The Phillies have shown plenty of interest in Bichette, and the team is expected to give him the most amount of money.
“I think the expectation at the end of the day is that the Phillies are going to be the highest bidders,” Passan said on Sportsnet. “They have reason to go after him.”
If Philadelphia does land Bichette, it would be another blow to the Blue Jays’ offseason.
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