Of Bo Bichette back on the selection as the Blue jays challenged the Dodgers in the World Series, it wasn’t long before he was asked about his upcoming free agency. As noted by Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-SmithBichette generally dismissed the question as something he doesn’t have time to think about during a World Series run, though he did acknowledge that his “goal” is to stay with the Blue Jays for the rest of his career.
That’s not exactly new information, as Bichette has long indicated he wants to spend his entire career in a Blue Jays uniform. Bichette has previously spoken about his desire to play for just one team throughout his career, and the opportunity to do so alongside a longtime teammate. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. after Guerrero landed his own extension earlier this year, it certainly makes the idea of staying in Toronto all the more appealing. That said, there had been no extension talks between Bichette and the club brass in April.
There may have been some discussions in the intervening months, but with free agency just days away, it seems almost certain that Bichette will hit the open market without signing an extension. Of course, that doesn’t mean he can’t be re-signed, but the Blue Jays won’t be the only candidate for his services once he’s available to all 30 clubs. It’s unclear if Toronto is willing to add another big contract to its books after signing Guerrero to an extension worth half a billion dollars.
More from MLB’s East Divisions…
- The Rays may now be operating under new ownership, but they still face a lot of stadium uncertainty in the wake of the club’s recent failed stadium deal and the damage Hurricane Milton caused to Tropicana Field last year. While it would be impossible to expect a meaningful update on a long-term stadium solution just a month into Patrick Zalupski’s tenure as comptroller, commissioner Rob Manfred told reporters (as relayed by Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times) prior to Game 2 of the World Series yesterday that the competition is “hopeful” that the Trop will be ready for Tampa’s opening homestand, which will begin on April 6. While Manfred seemingly left the door open to the possibility that the stadium won’t be ready for those games, he said so “It will certainly be ready very early in the year.” That’s good news for the Rays, as they had to play their home minor league games this year due to the damage to the Trop.
- Towards the National League, Will Sammon of The Athletic writes that Mets younger Christian Scott is nearing the end of his rehabilitation program as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery. The 26-year-old Scott made his big league debut last year with a 4.56 ERA in nine starts, but has not played an official game since. However, he entered 2024 as a fringe top-100 prospect, and Sammon suggests the right-hander could be another young arm in the mix for rotation work with the Mets next year alongside players like Jonah Tong And Brandon Sproat. That said, a crowded group of rotation options that will likely see at least one major addition this winter could make it difficult for the righty to find consistent starts without a wave of injuries creating an opportunity.
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