Poll: Would Kyle Tucker or Bo Bichette be a better fit for the Blue Jays?

The Blue Jays were by far the most aggressive team in free agency this winter. Their offseason so far has been highlighted by a seven-year contract Dylan stops. That hasn’t stopped them from remaining aggressive at the top of the market, though, and the Jays remain the team most clearly tied to the winter’s top two free agents: outfielder Kyle Tucker and infielder Bo Bichette. Bichette has obviously spent his entire career with the Blue Jays and has not been shy about his desire to remain with Toronto in the future. Tucker, meanwhile, appears almost certain to leave the incumbent Cubs for greener pastures, meeting with the Jays yesterday at the club’s Spring Training complex in Dunedin.

While Toronto is very clearly involved in the markets for both players, it’s worth considering that the Blue Jays already have a luxury tax payroll of approximately $282 million, according to Grid source. Adding Tucker or Bichette and an annual salary of $25-40 million to the books would put them past the top luxury tax threshold, which is at $304 million and carries the heaviest fines if they go over that. They may not be willing or able to re-sign Bichette and also bring Tucker into the fold. If the Jays can land just one of the top two hitters of the offseason, who would be the best fit for their roster?

Bichette is the known choice and it’s hard to argue with his impact on the team. A three-run homer knocked out the ball Shohei Ohtani A hit by Bichette while playing through injury in Game 7 of this year’s World Series nearly made the Jays champions, and that was just part of the .348/.444/.478 performance he delivered in seven Fall Classic games despite limping on the bases and in the field. While an injury-marred and very disappointing season for Bichette in 2024 lowered his overall profile somewhat, he’s still posted a wRC+ of 120 or higher in six of his seven MLB seasons with a career mark of 122. That he’s done all that while playing generally adequate shortstop is all the more impressive.

That said, Bichette isn’t exactly a perennial MVP candidate. His infield defense has never been great and a disastrous defensive season this year has made it all the more clear that his future is likely at second or third base. As impressive as Bichette was when healthy, he was only the Jays’ third-best hitter in 2025. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has obviously been head and shoulders above the rest of the team in terms of star power and overall offensive impact, but there have been years where Bichette has outperformed George Springer, Alejandro Kirk, Brandon belt, Marcus SemienAnd Teoscar Hernández in the Jays’ lineup over the years. None of these players come close to Bichette’s consistency, but it’s fair to say he doesn’t offer the kind of upside-six that many of the recent top free agents offer.

That’s where Tucker stands out. The 28-year-old (29 in January) is simply a lot better as a hitter than Bichette. Tucker’s career 138 wRC+ is four points higher than Bichette’s mark this year, which was his career best in a season outside of his 46-game rookie campaign in 2019. Since the start of the 2021 season, Tucker has hit .277/.365/.514 with 23.4 fWAR, a bigger total than Bichette has compiled throughout his career. Tucker is also a constant threat if he steals 25 to 30 bases, while Bichette has swiped more than 13 bags just once before in his career. Tucker’s status as a left-handed bat would also make him a strong addition to the Jays’ stock of impressive right-handed hitters, which includes not only Guerrero but also Springer and Kirk.

However, as perfect as the fit between Tucker and the Jays may seem, it’s worth considering that Bichette could be a better long-term investment. Both have dealt with injuries over the past two years, with 214 games played for Tucker and 220 for Bichette. That said, Bichette is a year younger than Tucker and also wants to command the shorter (and cheaper) deal of the two; MLBTR predicts an eight-year, $208 million deal for Bichette, while Tucker is expected to land a $400 million deal over 11 years. Paying Bichette for his age-35 season certainly sounds more attractive than paying Tucker for his age-39 campaign in terms of the team’s long-term prospects. At the same time, Tucker would undoubtedly offer more short-term impact to a team that is just a few clean sheets into a World Series title and has already made it as clear as possible that they are all-in in their current window.

There is also the positional fit to consider. Bichette could return to his shortstop position or finish second with Andres Gimenez taking the other spot in the middle of the infield. That would leave every player at any other position in a similar spot as they will be in 2025. Addison Barger And Davis Schneider both played part of the infield and part of the outfield Ernie Clemens played over the entire infield.

If Tucker were signed, he would jump into an outfield mix with Springer. Anthony Santander And Daulton Varsho. It would push Barger and Schneider more firmly into the infield and bump them Nathan Lucas to the bank unless someone was subsequently traded.

Assuming the Blue Jays can only sign one of Bichette or Tucker, which one do MLBTR readers think would be a better fit for the organization? Would Bichette’s status as the anchor of the current team, consistency and more affordable projected contract make him the better choice? Or will the immediate impact and big lefty bat that Tucker offers outweigh those benefits? Or should they skip both and spend their money on relievers or another bat? Have your say in the poll below: