Pirates Named Landing Spot for Blue Jays Shortstop
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates need consistent, every day batters next season and this one player from the Toronto Blue Jays might be the answer.
Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report named the top 10 landing spots for Blue Jays free agent shortstop Bo Bichette and placed the Pirates at 10th.
The other teams involved featured the Minnesota Twins at ninth, Atlanta Braves at eighth, Detroit Tigers at seventh, Boston Red Sox at sixth, Colorado Rockies at fifth, San Diego Padres at fourth, Los Angeles Dodgers at third, New York Yankees in second and a return to Toronto in first.
How Signing Bichette Would Benefit the Pirates
The Pirates were amongst the worst hitting teams in baseball last season, ranking last in both slugging percentage (.350) and OPS (.655), the third lowest batting average (.231) and the eighth lowest on-base percentage (.305).
Pittsburgh also scored the least runs (583) and drove in the least RBIs (561), both lower than the 43-119 Colorado Rockies. They also hit the least home runs (117), 31 home runs less than then second-lowest team in the St. Louis Cardinals at 148 home runs, and had the seventh most strikeouts (1,422).
Bichette would easily become the best Pirates position player if he signed, as he would have the most doubles and RBIs and the second most home runs.
His postseason experience is also beneficial to a team that is aiming for their first appearance in theplayoffs since 2015.
Will the Pirates Sign Bichette?
Bichette will command a great list of suitors, those with great resources and willing to bring him on as their every day shortstop.
Spotrac has Bichette with a market value of eight years, $186,426,728, or $23.3 million per season, which is $6.4 million higher than the highest-paid Pirates player in 2026, with right-handed starting pitcher Mitch Keller making $16.9 million.
The Pirates haven't signed a position player free agent to a multi-year deal since John Jaso on Dec. 23, 2015 for two years, $8 million. Their last free agent multi-year deal signing was right-handed starting pitcher Iván Nova, which was three years, $26 million on Dec. 27, 2016.
Pittsburgh has regularly ranked towards the bottom of the MLB with payroll and it's unlikely they'll give out the cash necessary to land one of the better hitting shortstops in the game.
Bo Bichette's Background
Bichette hails from Florida and played for Lakewood High School in St. Petersburg, where he hit .569 and 13 home runs as a senior in 2016, earning Gatorade/USA Today Player of the Year honors.
He committed to Arizona State, but the Blue Jays took him in the second round and he signed for $1.1 million.
Bichette quickly rose through the minor leagues, earning Blue Jays Minor League Hitter of the Year honors in 2017, representing the team at the Futures Game in 2018 and making his MLB debut on July 29, 2019.
He has spent the past seven seasons with the team, slashing .294/.337/.469 for an OPS of .806 in 748 games, with 904 hits, 190 doubles, eight triples, 111 home runs, 437 RBIs and 187 walks to 639 strikeouts.
Bichette became an All-Star for the first time in 2021, slashing .298/.343/.484 for an OPS of .827 in 159 games, leading the American League with 191 hits, while posting 30 doubles, one triple and career-highs of 29 home runs and 102 RBIs.
He led the AL in hits again in 2022 with 189 and then earned his second All-Star nod in 2023, slashing .306/.339/.475 for an OPS of .814 in 135 games, with 175 hits, 30 doubles, 20 home runs and 73 RBIs.
Bichette struggled in 2024, dealing with injury as he played in just 81 games and hit .225, but came back in 2025 with a great campaign.
He had a career-best slash line of .311/.357/.483 for an OPS of .840 in 139 games, with 181 hits, a career-high 44 doubles, 18 home runs and 94 RBIs. He ranked tied for second in baseball with hits, doubles and batting average.
Bichette also had a great World Series with the Blue Jays against the Los Angeles Dodgers, slashing .348/.444/.478 for an OPS of .922 in seven games.
He hit a three-run home run off of Dodgers starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani in Game 7, but the Blue Jays lost 5-4 in 11 inning, falling just short of the Championship.
Bichette also represents Team Brazil, as his mother is a native of Porto Alegre, and will do so at the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.