The Toronto Blue Jays are facing their biggest offseason test yet as Bo Bichette enters free agency following the team’s seven-game World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The 27-year-old shortstop’s potential departure has baseball observers worried about more than just the team’s infield depth. CBS Sports’ Dayn Perry warned that losing the homegrown star could deflate Toronto’s newfound baseball enthusiasm.
“Bichette enjoyed an impressive bounce-back season this year after nagging injuries sapped his production in 2024,” Perry wrote. “When healthy, he’s one of the best-hitting shortstops in all of baseball, and the Jays need him back.”
“Baseball is ascendant in Toronto right now and losing the popular and homegrown Bichette would not be well received by an engaged fan base.”
The bidding war for Bichette’s services is shaping up to be intense. The Los Angeles Dodgers are reportedly considering a massive offer that could force Toronto to break the bank. Both New York teams are circling as well, but for different reasons.
The way I see it, the Mets would slide Bichette to second base alongside Francisco Lindor, creating what might be baseball’s best middle infield. The Yankees, meanwhile, are looking at him as a potential replacement for the struggling Anthony Volpe.
What makes this situation tricky for Toronto is the timing. Coming off a World Series appearance, they can’t afford to lose their most recognizable player to a big-market rival. It’s exactly the kind of move that could send fans back into hibernation.
Perry noted there seems to be mutual interest in a reunion, which gives the Jays hope. But hope doesn’t win bidding wars against the Dodgers and Yankees.
It’s on Ross Atkins to hand Bichette’s people a competitive offer and figure out the payroll implications later. If Bichette chooses New York or Los Angeles, it’ll be another reminder of how hard it is for mid-market teams to keep their stars—and another talking point for the next CBA negotiations.
All things considered, this feels like a make-or-break moment for the Blue Jays’ long-term relevance in their own market.
