With Kyle Tucker now a Dodger, Bo Bichette should be the next marquee free agent hitter to sign this offseason. It appears he could be picking his new team soon, as USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale reports that the Philadelphia Phillies are “overwhelming favorites” to land the former Toronto Blue Jays shortstop.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic echoed similar sentiments. Rosenthal appeared on Foul Territory to react to the Tucker signing. The Blue Jays, who pursued Tucker aggressively, theoretically should have the budget to retain their shortstop. However, the MLB insider casts doubt on that likelihood.
“I still believe, rather strongly, that Bo Bichette is going to end up on the Phillies.”
This comes from reports that Bichette’s meeting with the Phillies on January 12 went “very well” per the New York Post‘s Jon Heyman. The two-time All-Star was first linked to the club by Heyman just nine days prior.
It’s worth noting that Bichette has a strong relationship with newly-hired Phillies’ bench coach Don Mattingly. The two spent the last three seasons together in Toronto, where Mattingly also served as the bench coach.
Bichette won’t come cheap, although that’s hardly a deterrent for the reigning National League East champions. MLB Trade Rumors predicts he’ll sign an eight-year, $202 million deal, although all four writers had him going back to Toronto. The median crowd-sourced projection on FanGraphs has Bichette getting $189 million over the next seven seasons.
Bo Bichette’s Fit with the Phillies
Bichette would add another star player to the Phillies’ star-studded lineup. They’ve already got Bryce Harper and Trea Turner under contract through 2031 and 2034. After Kyle Schwarber reached free agency, Philadelphia re-signed the MVP finalist to a five-year, $150 million deal.
While Bichette has played mostly shortstop throughout his career, he won’t play there in Philadelphia. Turner is the starter there for the foreseeable future, likely resulting in a change in positions. He’ll likely move over to second base, where he played with Toronto during the World Series.
Turner will likely reprise his role as the leadoff man (95 of 140 starts), followed by Schwarber, Bichette, and Harper. While neither left-handed slugger struggled against lefties in 2025, it allows manager Rob Thomson to slip a right-handed bat between them. That will make it tougher for opposing managers to match up with a left-handed reliever in that part of the order.
What Happens if Bichette Signs with the Phillies?
According to Roster Resource, the Phillies’ 2026 Competitive Balance Tax payroll is at $303 million. A Bichette signing pushes them over the $304 million threshold for maximum penalties, which includes dropping 10 spots in the 2026 MLB Draft.
Additionally, as a revenue share payor, the club will forfeit its second and fifth-highest selections for signing a free agent who declined the $22.05 million qualifying offer. Their fifth-highest pick was the fourth rounder they got for losing starting pitcher Ranger Suarez in free agency.
With Bichette likely to man second base, that has a downwind effect on Bryson Stott and possibly Alec Bohm. It could prompt general manager Preston Mattingly and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski to shop both infielders. Bohm is a free agent after the 2026 season, while Stott is controllable for one more season.
Since Stott came up as a shortstop, it could be possible to play him at third base. If the Phillies make that decision, then they’ll move Bohm. However, if they get better offers for Stott, they could sell high on him instead. A trade certainly lowers their payroll, but not enough to avoid the top tier of penalties.
