One of the biggest names still on the market is Bo Bichette, and for a while, it seemed he was determined to return to the Toronto Blue Jays. However, that was before his market surged, as other teams now view him as more than just a shortstop.
“Can confirm Bo Bichette has received interest from multiple teams who view him as a second baseman or third baseman, due to the presence of an established shortstop on those rosters. Further evidence that the World Series augmented his value in the marketplace,” MLB insider Jon Morosi posted.
It appears the Philadelphia Phillies are making a strong push for the power-hitting infielder. Bichette and the Phillies have a virtual meeting scheduled for Monday.
“The official spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of ongoing talks, but confirmed a report by The Athletic that the Phillies scheduled a virtual meeting with Bichette on Monday, Jan. 12 to discuss the possibility of joining the Phillies,” USA Today’s Bob Nightengale wrote.
With all of this developing, Sportsnaut’s Matt Johnson believes the Phillies are poised to sign Bichette, but first, they will trade Alec Bohm.
“For months, it felt inevitable that Bo Bichette would return to the Toronto Blue Jays and spend the majority of his career in baseball playing alongside Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Now, the door truly seems open to an exit. Bichette has popped on the radar for the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs this month. Chicago is a team to watch here, given they just acquired a cost-controlled starter (Edward Cabrera) and have money to spend with Kyle Tucker headed elsewhere. However, this feels like one of those moments where Philadelphia strikes on one of the top MLB free agents whose market has been slow to develop. Alec Bohm is traded, and the Phillies announce the signing of Bichette shortly after,” Johnson wrote.
The Phillies have been weighing whether to move Alec Bohm, but if Bo Bichette is the player to replace him, it would clearly be in Philadelphia’s best interest to let Bohm go.
The Phillies are eager to return to the World Series after losing to the Houston Astros a few years ago. Landing Bichette would be a massive splash for the organization and could dramatically boost their championship chances.
