Will Bo Bichette be back with the Toronto Blue Jays next year?
For Bo Bichette and the Toronto Blue Jays, there was almost an all-time moment to potentially conclude their time together.
In Game 7 of the World Series, a hobbled Bichette stepped up to the plate in the second inning — and launched a blast over the outfield wall to give Toronto a 3-0 lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Had Toronto gone on to win the title, Bichette’s homer might’ve been printed on t-shirts and the front page of newspapers all over the country. But Toronto ended up scoring just one more run that game and gave up five, with the Dodgers taking Game 7 by a 5-4 score in the 11th inning.
The home run, and Bichette’s whole appearance in the World Series, were perhaps clouded by some thoughts about how exactly to handle his pending free agency this offseason. Bichette has been a fan favourite since making his debut in 2019, but is without a contract for next year.
Will Bichette be on the Blue Jays next year?
NBC Sports’ Matthew Pouliot projects a contract worth eight years and $216 million for Bichette: not quite the $500 million his teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr. landed, but not exactly a small investment either.
Meanwhile, ESPN’s David Schoenfield predicts the San Francisco Giants ponying up for Bichette.
“I would be lying if I hadn’t thought about [this possibly being my last year in Toronto] at some point during the season,” Bichette told reporters prior to Game 6, though he didn’t have much interest in delving into the topic further.
After playing entirely as a shortstop or a designated hitter his entire major league career, Bichette was primarily used as a second baseman during the World Series. A new position seems like a high possibility for next season, with Andres Gimenez likely to be Toronto’s full-time shortstop should that happen.
Bichette has reiterated his desire to stay in Toronto midseason, and both before and after the World Series.
But it takes two to tango, and it’ll be a tough conversation for the Toronto front office, which had previously tabbed Bichette as an offseason priority.
Bichette’s knee injury further complicated matters of his 2025 campaign, sidelining him for the entire first two rounds of the playoffs before making his debut in Game 1 of the World Series.
“I had a lot of people telling me to take care of myself, for sure. I mean, even I had that mindset a little bit, but to have an opportunity to play [in the World Series] is — I mean, this is a no-brainer,” Bichette added last week.
In any case, don’t expect this storyline to die down anytime soon until we get a contract signed one way or another. Free agency officially opens Friday, Nov. 6.