Red Sox Take 'Serious' Step In Pursuit Of Blue Jays' $17 Million All-Star

Which big bat are the Red Sox talking to now?

Jun 18, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A Toronto Blue Jays cap and glove sits in the dugout during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

We know the Boston Red Sox are in hot pursuit of big bats in free agency, but it remains to be seen which ones they have a realistic chance of landing.

After years of hearing stories about the Red Sox being "interested" in free agents, only to finish second or third, fans are understandably hesitant to get their hopes up. But the links to big names keep coming, not just in free agency, but in trades as well.

One of the biggest bats in this year's class of free agents spent the first seven years of his big-league career with the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays. And though the Blue Jays have said all along that they want shortstop Bo Bichette back, it appears the Red Sox are willing to put up a fight to pry him loose.

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Red Sox met with Bichette: Report

On Monday, Ari Alexander of WHDH-TV in Boston reported that the Red Sox had recently met with Bichette via zoom, indicating a serious desire to sign the 28-year-old two-time All-Star.

"(Shortstop) Bo Bichette and the (Red Sox) had a zoom recently," Alexander wrote. "It went well on both sides, per sources.

"Bichette came away impressed with the Red Sox, I’m told. The Red Sox have shown to be serious about the free agent."

There's no need to sugarcoat things here: the Red Sox need to show Bichette the money if they want him badly. He just made $17.6 million in his walk year, and there's a good chance he could get $10 million more per year for a term of seven or eight years.

If they signed him, the Red Sox could play Bichette at second base, where he played during the World Series after returning from a knee injury, and put Marcelo Mayer at third if incumbent All-Star Alex Bregman signs elsewhere.

Maybe Boston is overplaying its financial woes and it has the capacity to sign both Bregman and Bichette. But if not, is the offensive upside of Bichette, a two-time American League hits leader, so much greater than Bregman's that the Red Sox would rather go with the younger bat?

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