There is a lot more riding on a Bo Bichette signing for the Philadelphia Phillies if their ongoing talks with the former Toronto infielder go well. While there haven't been many offseason moves in Philadelphia, rumors between one of MLB's biggest free agents and the Phillies continue to grow.
While most fans have seemed to expect one or both of the duo of Alec Bohm and Brandon Marsh to be traded, after years of speculation, the pair could be separated. It seems the Phillies are ready and willing to make a move for the 27-year-old Bichette.
While the Phillies weren't among the first teams in on the Bichette race, they have started to emerge as the frontrunners. The Athletic's Matt Gelb highlighted the secret to Philadelphia's success (subscription required) when it comes to signing big-name agents with competitive markets. They are no strangers to offering longer contracts than their competitors to land the biggest fish in the free agent pond.
Despite extra costs, Bo Bichette's bang is still absolutely worth the Phillies' buck
Besides laying out for a massive contract that could reach over $200 million, Bichette comes with qualifying offer penalties after rejecting the Blue Jays' $22.025 million offer. Signing the infielder would force the Phillies to give up their second- and fifth-round draft picks in 2026 and forfeit $1 million of their international bonus pool money.
They'll also be paying more than his actual value due to the fact they'll be exceeding the $304 million fourth luxury tax threshold. However, the perks of signing Bichette continue to outweigh the problems.
The Phillies' mentality is "win now." After another offseason of light additions, adding Bichette would no doubt start to make even bigger waves in the once seemingly calm ocean that is the team's infield unit.
Bichette played the majority of his tenure with the Toronto Blue Jays at shortstop. With his defensive metrics not as up-to-par as some of the sport's most elite at his position, Bichette has also talked about switching from the "captain's position" of the infield to second base, growing his market exponentially.
Trea Turner will be the team's shortstop for the foreseeable future, so Bichette would need to move, making them one of the best middle infield duos in all of baseball, if not the best. Also, it would give the Phillies a younger cornerstone to build on, alongside the heart of the younger core emerging as a leader for younger players like Justin Crawford and Aidan Miller.
Most importantly, Bichette is a strong hitter. He has a career .294 batting average and had 181 hits last season. With how hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park is, Bichette's ceiling could be even higher, all while checking off the need for a right-handed bat, balancing out the top of the lineup.
Despite the massive financial commitment, the upsides for Bichette in Philadelphia are evident. With talk that the team's virtual meeting with Bichette on Monday went well, the image of seeing this young stud in Phillies pinstripes is getting clearer.