3:07 PM: The Bo Bichette market apparently has a newcomer. The Athletic’s Matt Gelb, Ken Rosenthal and Jayson Stark report that the Phillies have scheduled a meeting with the free agent infielder and his representatives at Vayner Sports, which will take place in the coming days. Philadelphia’s interest ‘is legitimate,’ report says — stemming from Bichette’s willingness to move on from shortstop and a lengthy look between the Phils and the free-agent catcher JT Realmutowho still has to sign. Gelb and Stark note that a deal between the Phillies and Bichette would all but close the door on Realmuto’s time in Philly and could also lead to a third baseman trade. Alec Bohm.
Bichette, still just 27 (28 in March), not only enjoyed a bounce-back 2025 season after an injury-ravaged 2024 season – he turned in what was arguably the best all-around season of his career. In 628 trips to the plate, he hit .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs. His 6.4% walk rate, while still a few points below league average, was the best of his career in a full season, as was his 14.5% strikeout rate.
Bichette’s summer in particular was something to behold. It got off to a decent but fairly easy start before heating up in May and being absolutely on fire by mid-summer. From July 6 through the end of the season, Bichette went supernova, hitting .381/.437/.591 in 238 plate appearances. He homered seven times, hit 24 doubles, walked at an 8.8% clip and fanned in just 11.3% of his at-bats. Go back to mid-June and Bichette finished his season with 330 plate appearances of .350/.395/.538 production.
Of course, “end of season” is a relative term in Bichette’s case. He suffered a sprained posterior cruciate ligament on September 6 and did not return for the final three weeks of the regular season. Bichette spent the early rounds of the playoffs resting and rehabbing that balky knee. He was cleared for a return in the World Series, and while he was clearly not moving near 100%, his bat remained unaffected. Bichette went 8-for-23 in 27 at bats, crushing what had the hallmarks of an iconic, go-ahead, three-run homer off Shohei Ohtani in Game 7 of the World Series – an undoubted stunner that would have proven to be a game-winner had the bullpen maintained Toronto’s lead.
Crucially, Bichette played second base when he took the field during the World Series. It was his first appearance at the position since his minor league days, but the willingness to defer to a superior defenseman at shortstop (Andres Gimenez) undoubtedly helps Bichette’s case in free agency. The main downer on him for a while now has been that he is a well-below average defender at shortstop.
According to The Athletic’s report, the Phillies would likely use Bichette at third base. It’s fair to wonder if he has the arm for the hot corner, as Statcast pegged his arm strength in just the 36th percentile among major leaguers last season. Bichette averaged 82.3 mph on his throws to first base, tying him with the current Phillies shortstop Trea Turner for that matter. It’s a sub-par grade, but also not a death blow to his chances of playing passable third base. That average of 132.3 km/h also ties in with fellow free agents Alex Bregmanand it’s actually half a mile faster than Philadelphia’s incumbent third baseman, Bohm.
The biggest problem for the Phillies would be how Bichette could fit on the payroll. RosterResource projects the Phils for a payroll of $266 million. That’s down from last year’s $284 million opening day, but Bichette would push them beyond that point (barring some kind of deferred or deferred contract). And while the actual cash payroll is down from last year, the team’s luxury tax payroll is not. The Phils are projected to have $301 million in CBT liabilities, according to the same RosterResource estimates. That means they would be taxed at a rate of 95% on the first $3 million of Bichette’s average annual value and a 110% discount on the rest.
Essentially, Bichette would cost the Phillies almost double his annual salary – at least in the first year of the contract. That number could decrease by 2026 Nick Castellanos, Taijuan hiker, Jesus Luzardo, Jose Alvarado, Adolis Garcia, Edmundo Sosa and Bohm (if not traded) are all off the books. Philadelphia will have “only” about $187 million in luxury tax liabilities in 2027, but that’s not even taking into account a notable arbitrage class (headlined: John Duran And Bryson Stott) and before any of the vacancies created by that departure are filled. It’s easy to see that number rising quickly.
Still, Philadelphia’s long-term payroll is probably a bit cleaner than most would expect for a team with so many high-priced veterans. Zack WielerThe massive $42 million salary only runs through 2027. Harper’s annual salary is already relatively low for a player of his caliber, dropping to $22 million in the final three seasons of his contract (2029-31). Harper, Turner, Christopher Sanchez, Kyle Schwarber And Aaron Nola are the only players currently on long-term contracts beyond the 2027 season, and Schwarber is the only member of that group to be paid more than $27.5 million annually starting in 2028. The Phillies have just over $117 million in guaranteed money on the books through 2028. Signing Bichette would actually only inflate the 2026 payroll to problematic levels, and the Phils could delay or defer his contract to help offset some of that bloat.
Landing Bichette with the Phillies would create a fascinating series of ripple effects. Teams that have sought help at third base (i.e. Pirates, D-backs, Mariners, Red Sox) may find a more willing trade partner in Philadelphia than in previous months when Bichette was not under consideration by the Phillies’ front office. Bohm just agreed to a $10.2 million contract through the 2026 season and will be a free agent next year.
Philadelphia should also make a compelling acquisition. Rafael Marchan And Garrett Stubbs are the only others on the roster. Gelb and Stark report that Minnesota Ryan Jeffers – a free agent after the 2026 season – has been important to the Phillies in the past. However, the Twins have indicated that they aim to be competitive in 2026 and not star like Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan And Byron Buxton. Would they actually make Jeffers available, in light of that decision? Time will tell.
If it’s not Jeffers (or Realmuto), the options are few and far between. Victor Caratini is a free agent and could be the simplest solution. The Phillies could try to pry loose Hunter Goodman of the rebuilding Rockies. Luis Campusano looks like the odd man out in San Diego, though he has yet to prove he can be a passable catcher in the majors. The White Sox have received interest in young backstops Kyle Teel And Edgar Querobut both would command a high asking price given their recent status as top prospects and half a decade of club control. The Reds have some depth Tyler Stephenson, Jose Trevino And Ben Rortvedt all in the books and top prospects Alfredo Duno coming in a few years. If the Phillies go the trade route, how can the other club fill its new catching needs? And where does Realmuto land? The implications of a Bichette signing in Philly extend further than most would initially expect.
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