After losing the World Series in heartbreaking fashion, the Toronto Blue Jays will discuss their future with Bo Bichette and possibly keep him for the long term. As MLB free agency approaches, the Jays have extended Bichette a qualifying offer, according to Sportsnet writer Ben Nicholson-Smith.
A baseball player is eligible for a qualifying offer when they have never received one in their career, and spent the previous season with one organization. In Bichette's case, he can accept or decline the offer. If Bichette declines, he can negotiate with other teams to gauge his market value. If Bichette were to agree to the qualifying offer, he would rejoin the Jays in the following season.
There is urgency for the Blue Jays to re-sign Bichette, as he is one of the most elite shortstops in baseball. After missing the ALDS and ALCS, Bichette returned to help the Jays take the Dodgers to seven games. Bichette had a good World Series, batting .348 with one home run, six RBIs, and two runs while also drawing four walks with an on-base percentage of .444.
Bichette had another productive regular season, batting .311 with 18 home runs, 94 RBIs, and 78 runs over 139 games before sustaining an injury in September. Overall, he was very productive while doing his part in a lineup that included Vladimir Guerrero Jr., George Springer, and Alejandro Kirk.
After losing the World Series, Bichette was not ready to address his future. But now, as MLB free agency draws closer, there will be more questions about whether Bichette stays or takes his chances elsewhere. Bichette remains a critical piece of this lineup, and the Jays will look to ensure that he remains with the team for the foreseeable future.
This might be a long process, especially if Bichette does not accept the qualifying offer. For now, his future with Toronto is in question as he discusses terms with the Jays and makes a decision that could affect the rest of his career.
