As the chances of a reunion with the Blue Jays continue to fade, interest in Bo Bichette is picking up elsewhere, particularly from the Phillies, Yankees and Cubs.
According to The Athletic's Matt Gelb and Ken Rosenthal, Phillies officials are expected to meet with Bichette on a video conference in the coming days. Notably, Philadelphia hired Don Mattingly as its new bench coach on Monday; the former first baseman filled the same role with the Blue Jays over the past three years, so he has an existing relationship with Bichette.
A deal with Bichette would likely end the team’s pursuit of a reunion with catcher J.T. Realmuto and also could lead to a trade of third baseman Alec Bohm, per The Athletic's report, with either Bichette or Bryson Stott taking Bohm’s spot at the hot corner. Sources told MLB.com's Todd Zolecki last month that the Phillies would not pursue any of the game’s remaining elite free agents – Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman, Cody Bellinger and Bichette – if they re-signed Realmuto.
The Phillies haven't closed the door on the possibility of re-signing Realmuto but have started to consider other ways to spend the money they’ve earmarked for the backstop. Philadelphia was able to re-sign Kyle Schwarber relatively quickly, bringing him back on a five-year, $150 million deal during the Winter Meetings before turning its focus to Realmuto. However, an agreement with Realmuto hasn’t materialized.
Similarly, MLB Network insider Jon Heyman reports that the Yankees are “looking more seriously” at Bichette due to a gap in their negotiations with outfielder Cody Bellinger, with whom they’ve exchanged multiple contract proposals.
There isn’t an obvious fit for Bichette in New York’s infield beyond a short-term opening at shortstop, with Anthony Volpe slated to miss Opening Day after undergoing left shoulder surgery. That said, second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. has been floated as a trade candidate as he enters his walk year.
Signing Bichette would not only give the Yankees the big bat they are seeking but also deal a blow to the rival Blue Jays. The Athletic reported this week that Toronto’s chances of bringing back Bichette were looking “increasingly unlikely,” with the team focused more on outfielder Kyle Tucker after signing third baseman Kazuma Okamoto.
The Cubs have also emerged as a potential fit for Bichette, being linked to the 27-year-old in multiple reports recently.
By acquiring starter Edward Cabrera from the Marlins in a trade on Wednesday, the Cubs addressed a clear need without taking on a major financial commitment. At the same time, they parted with top prospect Owen Caissie, who had been viewed as a potential internal solution to the void created by Tucker’s expected departure in free agency. Both of those factors only heighten the possibility that Chicago could be positioning itself for another significant move. The Cubs are reportedly considering Alex Bregman and Bellinger as well.
The Dodgers and Red Sox are two other clubs that have been frequently connected to Bichette this offseason.