1. Bichette meeting with the Phillies:
The Phillies will reportedly meet with infielder Bo Bichette Today. However, the matchup between Bichette and Philadelphia is complicated. Reports suggest that the club should not only abandon their push to reunite with the club JT Realmuto to land Bichette, but also to trade a third baseman Alec Bohm. Maybe that would all be worth it to bring in another impact player Kyle Schwarber, Bryce HarperAnd Trea Turner in the middle of the team’s lineup, but it’s not the easiest matchup.
The meeting follows Toronto’s recent acquisition of a third baseman Kazuma Okamoto. The Blue Jays’ decision to bring in another infielder does not explicitly rule out a reunion with Bichette, who has long expressed a desire to remain in Toronto, but it arguably made outfielder Kyle Tucker a better fit for them at this point. The meeting between Bichette and the Phillies ties in nicely with the next item here…
2. What’s next for the Red Sox after missing Bregman?
The Cubs made a big splash this weekend by inking the third baseman Alex Bregman to a five-year deal worth $175 million. Deferred money brings the contract value back to the $150-155 million range, but that was still enough to outbid the Red Sox in their efforts to retain Bregman. Boston reportedly made the highest offer with an offer of $165 million over five years – also with significant deferred money, but without the no-trade clause the Cubs included.
Now that Bregman has been ticketed to Chicago, the Red Sox will have to pivot. That could mean they would have to step up their search for Bichette, who they reportedly met via Zoom last month. Bichette was of interest to both the Cubs and Red Sox, so while it hurts him to lose a potential landing spot in Chicago, it also increases the need/urgency of another suitor in Boston. The Red Sox could also look for a shorter-term addition, such as Eugene Suarezand a trade for an established infielder (e.g. Houston’s Isaac Paredes) cannot be ruled out either. One way or another, the Sox should have at least one more notable splash in store this winter.
3. Can Yankees and Bellinger bridge the gap?
Elsewhere in the AL East, the Yankees and Cody Bellinger Contract negotiations have reportedly reached an impasse. New York is said to be sticking to its expectations with a five-year offer that guarantees Bellinger more than $150 million, while Bellinger’s camp remains steadfast in their desire for a longer-term contract – perhaps as long as seven years. In the meantime, Bellinger expects to draw interest from the Mets and Dodgers. He’s also linked to the Cubs, although their recent addition of Bregman likely takes them out of that market. MLBTR’s Anthony Franco recently took a look at some other potential landing spots. As for the Yankees, the team has been loosely linked to other high-end players like Bichette and Tucker as potential backup plans for Bellinger, and the trade market could always provide alternatives.
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