The Toronto Blue Jays lost the World Series and must now focus on building a roster capable of making another run next season. Arguably the biggest question facing the team is what to do with Bo Bichette.
Bichette had a bounce-back season after having the worst season of his career in 2024. He posted a .311/.357/.483 slash line last season and hit 18 home runs. He is the best shortstop on the market, but there are some concerns about his defense.
Bichette played second base for the first time during the World Series, and some think that he may have to change positions thanks to his defensive metrics at shortstop. However, from a business standpoint, Bichette will want to be paid like a shortstop.
Teams may be wary of paying him like a shortstop if they envision a position change coming. The shortstop market is more lucrative than the second base market. Baseball America projects Bichette to sign an eight-year, $240 million deal.
A $240 million deal would be the sixth-largest shortstop contract in baseball. Meanwhile, it would be the second-largest second-base contract. Teams may try to get Bichette on a cheaper deal if they want him to play second base down the line. However, that means he may lean toward signing with a team that would let him play shortstop, and more importantly, pay him like one.
He has publicly expressed his desire to stay with the Blue Jays and keep playing alongside Vladimir Guerrero Jr. However, the Blue Jays will have to be willing to outbid other suitors. The team will also have to address other positions, perhaps limiting how much it can spend on Bichette.
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