Blue Jays Feature New Infield Configuration After Bo Bichette Departure

The Toronto Blue Jays will look a bit different next season.

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The Toronto Blue Jays are officially staring down a reality without their superstar infielder Bo Bichette. The two-time All-Star inked a three-year, $126 million deal with the New York Mets, per Will Sammon of The Athletic.

It's been a disappointing 24 hours for the Blue Jays, after they lost out on the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes, and their shortstop will have a new home next season. Bichette had been in the Toronto organization since 2016 and eventually made his MLB debut in 2019.

He was a pivotal piece of the Blue Jays run to the World Series a season ago. Now, they look ahead to the future with a contending roster courtesy of a busy offseason. How will Toronto's infield likely shape up without Bichette?

Blue Jays Infield Configuration Without Bo Bichette

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Luckily, the Blue Jays had a shortstop in waiting in Andres Gimenez. The 26-year-old is one of the best defensive infielders in baseball, securing three straight Gold Glove awards from 2022-24. While he has made majority of his starts at second base, Gimenez is more than capable of taking over shortstop for Toronto.

Offensively, he isn't in the same stratosphere as Bichette, slashing .210/.285/.313 with just 69 total hits, but his defense makes up for his shortcomings on the offensive end. At second base, Ernie Clement will likely slide into that role.

Clement was a postseason hero for the Blue Jays, finishing with a whopping .411 batting average in October, including multiple clutch hits in the World Series. Clement started 140 games last year, serving as a super utility player. He made 15 starts at first, 60 at second, 89 at third, and 29 at short. He'll be an important contributor for Toronto in 2026.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Alejandro Kirk will obviously man down their positions at first and catcher, respectively. Guerrero on Bichette's departure said, "Of course, I feel sad after playing with him for so many years, but like I've always said, this is a business, and you have to look out for what's best for you and your family, he said to SportsNet's Hazel Mae on X.

Blue Jays Have Options at Third Base

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As mentioned earlier, Clement made 89 starts at third base, but Addison Barger started 91 games at the hot corner in 2025. That makes the signing of Kazuma Okamoto interesting. The NPB superstar was one of the most highly coveted hitters on the market, and helps soften the blow of losing Bichette. He is a primary third baseman, but the Blue Jays view him as a "super utility player."

Manager John Schneider could slide Okamoto to third, Clement to second, and move Barger to the outfield. There is also a scenario where he platoons Okamoto and Barger based on the matchup. There is no doubt both players will have substantial roles on the team, but there could certainly be a rotation at third base.

It is incredibly difficult to fill the massive void that Bichette will be leaving behind. He leaves as a beloved player by the fans and a leader of this team. It'll take some trial and error, but Toronto still possesses one of the best offenses in baseball. The expectation of getting back to the World Series should not change despite Bichette's departure.

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