It wouldn't be the MLB offseason without reports that were otherwise understood as obvious facts from MLB Network insider Jon Morosi. While Morosi is usually right – that's what happens when you report the obvious, not leaving yourself open to public criticism – he did make one of the worst errors in baseball reporting history when he said Shohei Ohtani was on a flight to Toronto with the expectation he'd sign with the Blue Jays back in the winter of 2023. That, as we know now, was not the case.
An error like that would end some careers, but Morosi has been around long enough and, frankly, is successful enough at his job that he found a way out. While he's rarely the first to break news, Morosi hears the rumblings just as we all do. Free agency is here, and when describing the interest in Blue Jays infielder Bo Bichette, Morosi put on his Captain Obvious cape and went to work.
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Debunking Jon Morosi's report about Blue Jays infielder Bo Bichette
"Can confirm Bo Bichette has received interest from multiple teams."
We're off to a flying start on this one. Morosi is breaking huge news, suggesting that one of the best infielders on the free-agent market has received interest from...the market. Yes, it's true, sound the alarms! But wait, Morosi is not done, as he hasn't let us know why teams are interested in one of the best infielders available.
"Multiple teams...view him as a second baseman or third baseman, due to the presence of an established shortstop on those rosters."
Absolutely stunning. Bichette, who doesn't project as a long-term shortstop anywhere, including Toronto, would likely have to switch positions later in his career. What Morosi just outlined is every shortstop in the modern game. It's one of the toughest positions in sports, and Bichette's range is already decreasing. Again, we all knew this. And, as it turns out, teams that already have an established shortstop on their rosters wouldn't want to overpay for a worse defensive shortstop. Who would've thought?
"Further evidence that the World Series augmented his value in the marketplace."
Gasp! I have fallen and cannot get up. Bichette, who played through a knee injury in the World Series and still hit what could've been a game-winning home run early in Game 7, increased his value by toughing it out in the postseason. That's entirely predictable!
Bo Bichette comes with some risks his agent can't hide in a Jon Morosi report
Bichette will eventually sign a long-term contract in Toronto or elsewhere, but this reporting smells funny. Namely, it seems like it's coming from Bichette's agent or someone hoping to drive his price tag up. Bichette was projected to sign a five-year, $130 million deal per ESPN. Yet, he's also been forced to miss 131 games due to injury since the start of the 2023 season. As great as Bichette's World Series performance was, the Blue Jays shouldn't be too worried about losing him just yet.
What does make Bichette valuable is that the infield market in free agency is shallow. Bichette is one of the best hitters available and, as our flight captain alluded to, should be willing to switch positions in the near future. Considering he said on the record that he doesn't want to leave the Jays, they should be considered the favorite until proven otherwise.