One domino has fallen in free agency this offseason. Canadian first baseman Josh Naylor has resigned with the Seattle Mariners. The Mississauga, Ontario native is reportedly in agreement with the AL West champs on a five-year contract that will pay the 28-year-old $92.5 million through 2030.
With Naylor off the board, it could spark some more movement in free agency and at least one MLB insider believes some of that movement could involve the Toronto Blue Jays and their star infielder.
Is Naylor deal a good sign for a possible reunion between the Blue Jays and Bo?
Reporter Mark Feinsand was quoted as saying, “Free agency tends to be a slow burn, so it’s hard to say which free agent might be the next to come off the board…the likely candidates are players with an eye on returning to their former club, making Kyle Schwarber (Phillies) and Bo Bichette (Blue Jays) the two favourites.”
Feinsand adds that both those clubs have made it known they would like to re-sign their respective players and he says, “Schwarber and Bichette appear to prefer a return to their long-time clubs. It would not be a shock for either or both to work out new deals prior to next month’s Winter Meetings.”
While it’s only insider speculation, that’s got to feel like some positive news for Blue Jays fans who are hoping to see the team bring back a player who has solidified himself as a franchise cornerstone. Bichette was drafted by the Blue Jays in the second round of the 2016 MLB draft and is they are the only organization he has ever known. He’ll be 28-years-old when next season starts and will likely be asked to move positions to reinforce the teams defence up the middle, having Bichette play more games at second base, letting Andrés Giménez take over as the every day shortstop.
Regardless of where they ask him to play defensively, the biggest upside Bo brings is his contact ability. He’s averaged 161 hits a season since 2021, slashing .292/.335/.460 with an OPS of .795 over those five seasons and those numbers are actually brought down by his injury riddled 2024 campaign in which he was worth -0.3 bWAR in 81 games. FanGraphs projects Bichette to have a wRC+ of 120 next year with a .325 BABIP while giving the Blue Jays 177 hits and 19 home runs in 152 games.
Toronto fans are hoping right now that the trend stays true as the Blue Jays and Bichette reaching a deal early in the offseason would allow them to breath a sigh of relief and cross off a huge box on the offseason “to do” list.
