Toronto Blue Jays’ shortstop Bo Bichette is slated to become a free agent after the team’s World Series run. Bichette is set to be among the top two offseason free agents this offseason. He is an intriguing case as a bat-first player, but is projected for a big payday.
Bo Bichette Becomes Free Agent After Strong But Injury-Hampered Year
Overall Career
Bichette came up with the Blue Jays in 2019, as a part of their infield tandem with superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr.. Bichette has been a consistent hitter throughout his career, with a .294 batting average since his debut. As a contact-first bat, Bichette does not rack up the numbers in the power department, but is someone who can reliably get on base when needed.
The two-time All-Star has been very consistent for the Blue Jays when available. However, Bichette has had four separate trips to the injured list since 2023, with various ailments that include foot and finger injuries. He also missed most of both September and the postseason with a knee injury. For any team that is looking for consistent availability, Bichette might not be the best option, given his recent injury issues.
Bichette is also a bad defender at shortstop. According to Statcast, Bichette has a career fielding run value of -27 and -33 outs above average. His fielding run value ranks 90th, or third-worst in baseball since 2019, among qualified defenders. His outs above average ranks 87th out of 90 qualified shortstops, according to Statcast. The fielding became such a liability that when Bichette returned to the lineup for the World Series, Toronto put him at second base. While he did not log many innings at second, he looked a lot more comfortable, making some really slick plays.
What a play by Bo Bichette at second base!
: #WorldSeries on FOX pic.twitter.com/zmga2yB9vM
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 25, 2025
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2025 Season
For the majority of 2025, Bichette was resurgent from his 2024 season, the worst of his career. Bichette finished this season with a .311 batting average, 18 home runs, 94 RBI, a .357 on-base percentage, and an .840 OPS. The .311 batting average is almost 100 points higher than his 2024 mark of .222.
When Bichette was in the lineup, he recorded his most at-bats from the leadoff spot in 2025. In that slot, he recorded a .270 batting average with a .310 OBP. Bichette always puts a professional at-bat to lead off a game, whether there are results or not.
Bichette also had a very low strikeout rate in 2025, with 14.5%. Putting the bat on the ball was part of the Blue Jays’ team profile, but Bichette has excelled at that throughout his career. The contact skills Bichette possesses will be appealing to any team looking to cut down on the strikeouts in their lineup.
Contract Outlook
Bichette’s contract projections currently sit in the $180 million to $212 million range, estimating around 7–8 years and an average annual value (AAV) in the mid-$20 million range. Now 27, his age could be a concern for many teams down the road with a long-term deal, which could cause a different contract structure.
Many teams will comprise Bichette’s market, including the Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, New York Mets, New York Yankees, and Seattle Mariners. Bichette has made it clear that his wish was to remain a Blue Jay for his entire career, but Toronto will certainly have competition for his services.
Main Photo Credit: Kevin Sousa-USA TODAY Sports
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