The Philadelphia Phillies have been involved heavily in the free agency pursuit of free agent infielder Bo Bichette.
While the start of the offseason has been slow for the Phillies, they could make a splash in the very near future. Bichette was one of the top free agents on the market this offseason and would be a big addition as Philadelphia looks to contend in the National League.
That being said, a new update has been shared about the Phillies’ chances of signing the Toronto Blue Jays‘ free agent shortstop.
ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan made an appearance on SportsNet to discuss Bichette’s free agency. He revealed that he expects Philadelphia to be the top bidder.
“I think the expectation is that the Phillies at the end of the day are going to be the highest bidders [for Bo Bichette],” Passan said.
No deal has been signed yet, but the momentum is leading towards the Phillies and Bichette getting a deal done.
Philadelphia Phillies Need a Bat Like Bo Bichette’s
Bichette would be a big upgrade for Philadelphia at the plate. He isn’t known for his defense, but his bat is what makes him so valuable.
During the 2025 MLB season with the Blue Jays, the 27-year-old shortstop played in 139 games. He hit 18 home runs, drove in 94 RBI, and produced a slash line of .311/.357/.483.
Those numbers would help improve the Phillies’ offense. Would it be enough to power them to elusive postseason success? That remains to be seen, but he would be a nice step in that direction.
Adding Bichette would be a big move for Philadelphia, but it wouldn’t necessarily come without a loss. MLB insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that if the Phillies sign Bichette, they would lose catcher J.T. Realmuto.
“I was told that if they sign Bichette, Realmuto is gone,” Nightengale said.
Bichette would be facing a lot of pressure to produce at a high level. Being paid the kind of money it will take to get him and also losing Realmuto is a lot to put on his shoulders. However, he’s capable of rising to the occasion.
Toronto Blue Jays Appear to Be Out on Bichette for Now
In what was great news for the Phillies’ chances of signing Bichette, it appears that the Blue Jays have dropped out of the race to sign him for the time being.
Nightengale also reported that Toronto is focused on signing superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker and that the Blue Jays would only circle back around to Bichette if they miss out on him.
“I think they’ve already made their choice. They want Tucker,” Nightengale said.
With how talks and interest seem to be progressing between Philadelphia and Bichette, a deal could get done before Toronto knows the outcome of Tucker’s free agency. At least for now, the Phillies seem to be facing one less competitor to sign Bichette.
Expect to hear more news about the situation in the near future. Philadelphia seems very serious about its pursuit of Bichette and a deal could come together in the near future.
Phillies Receive Massive News Amid Bo Bichette Pursuit