Blue Jays Again Projected to Bring Back Free Agent Bo Bichette This Offseason
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The Toronto Blue Jays entered the offseason with the mentality to relentlessly spend in order to improve and potentially get back to the World Series after their heartbreaking Game 7 defeat.
General manager Ross Atkins has done exactly that when it comes to the pitching staff, but Toronto is still circling the wagons to try to land a superstar bat to insert into this lineup. Much of the discourse there has revolved around Kyle Tucker, but it's no secret what fans want.
Toronto desires a reunion with their franchise home grown infielder Bo Bichette, and many have believed throughout this process that this will be the ultimate result. Though it has been speculated the Blue Jays could land both Tucker and Bichette, ultimately they will likely have to choose.
In his recent updated batch of predictions, Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report mentioned some other fits like the Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox, but ultimately stuck with his call that Bichette comes back north of the border.
Blue Jays Projected to Keep Bichette on $210M Deal
"A return to Toronto has always seemed to be the best outcome for Bo Bichette, given that there's unfinished business," Kelly wrote after sticking with a seven-year, $210 million reunion contract prediction. "Again, re-signing with the Blue Jays might ultimately be what's best for everyone involved. But it's at least interesting to consider other possibilities."
For a player the age of Bichette and potentially just entering his prime, this would be a bargain of sorts to keep him for the remaining productive years of his career and potentially move him over to second base.
Kelly wasn't the only one to make that call on Monday though as Blue Jays color commentator Buck Martinez during an appearance on MLB Network also called his shot on Bichette coming back to Toronto.
Buck Martinez Projects Bichette Return to Blue Jays
Will Bo Bichette return to the Blue Jays?
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 15, 2025
Buck Martinez reads the tea leaves and gives his thoughts on the free agent infielder. #MLBNHotStove https://t.co/DUTaLg8nis pic.twitter.com/veDlgqNqUx
"I think Bo at this point of his career would love to stay in Toronto and finish off his career with Vladdy Guerrero Jr. and be the second baseman going forward," Martinez said. "I don't have any inside information about that, but reading the tea leaves that would be the best scenario. I would say it's probably a strong 8 [out of 10] that Bo ends up back in Toronto."
Interestingly, both Martinez and Kelly predict Bichette to come back and move to second in order to allow Andrés Giménez to remain at shortstop, a move which would be significant for the future of the franchise.
It would also give Toronto one of the best middle infields in baseball.
Can Blue Jays Actually Close Deal on Bichette?
It seems all parties involved want a reunion here, but it's up to Atkins and Toronto to actually get this thing across the finish line. Bichette wants to be a Blue Jay and the organization wants to keep him, which should make this more simple than it's been.
Things in this business are never simple though, and financial hurdles will have to be cleared. Bichette is not taking and frankly should not even consider a hometown discount, and Toronto is still pursuing Tucker.
Unless they are prepared to pay both of them — which realistically is just not going to be in the cards -— the Blue Jays need to get it together and make Bichette an offer to keep him with the franchise for life.
Fortunately for fans in Toronto, it does seem that things are trending in this direction.
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Michael Brauner is a 2022 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Sports Media. He covers various MLB teams across the On SI network and you can also find his work on Yellowhammer News covering the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers as well as on the radio producing and co-hosting 'The Opening Kickoff' every weekday morning on 105.5 WNSP FM in Mobile, Alabama.