Bo Bichette is as enticing a free agent as there is in this year's MLB free agency class. Sure, there are some defensive concerns, but Bichette flat-out rakes, and won't turn 28 years old until March. He won't come cheap, but he's a free agent that many teams should be prioritizing.
As attractive a free agent as Bichette is, his market has been rather quiet thus far. Well, things have changed over the weekend, as evidenced by the rumors involving the star infielder.
Yankees will need to make a trade before signing Bo Bichette
Signing Bo Bichette sounds perfect for the New York Yankees on multiple fronts. Stealing him away from the Toronto Blue Jays would be perfect revenge for what transpired in the 2025 season, and adding his right-handed bat to a lineup in need of more juice and balance would be outstanding. There's one issue with their pursuit, though, outlined by Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic ($).
"The Yankees have checked in on Bichette, but likely would need to trade second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. or third baseman Ryan McMahon to accommodate him. They do not envision Bichette at shortstop," Rosenthal and Sammon wrote.
Bichette has been a shortstop almost exclusively throughout his MLB career, but he was one of the worst defenders at the position in 2025, giving the Yankees (and likely other teams) some cause to pause when wondering if he could play that position long-term. The fact that they do not view him as a shortstop means he'd play second base or third base in Pinstripes, and that means a trade of Jazz Chisholm Jr. or Ryan McMahon would have to be completed to accommodate that.
Making trades involving these players will be easier said than done. Can the Yankees get a proper return for Chisholm, a player set to hit free agency next offseason? Can the Yankees find a taker for McMahon, a player with serious offensive concerns set to make $16 million in 2026 and 2027?
The fact that New York has some interest in Bichette is encouraging for Yankees fans, but given the need for an additional move to be made, it's probably less likely that Bichette will end up in the Bronx.
Phillies' Don Mattingly hire could help their Bo Bichette pursuit
The Philadelphia Phillies are a team that's been linked to Bichette a lot lately, and their hire of Don Mattingly to be their bench coach will only spark more rumors based on what the NY Post's Jon Heyman reported.
Mattingly has terrific longstanding relationship with Phillies manager Rob Thomson. He is also said to have an excellent relationship with star free agent Bo Bichette (although it is fair to say that coaches/managers don’t usually determine 9-figure free agent signings) https://t.co/OD65Xf2weW
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 5, 2026
Now, Heyman did say it's unlikely that the hire of a bench coach would be what sways a free agent of Bichette's caliber, but what if offers are close between the Phillies and another team? Could Mattingly's presence break a tie? It certainly won't hurt the Phillies' chances.
There are several reasons why the Phillies chose to hire Mattingly as their bench coach, but again, Bichette's relationship with him is something to keep an eye on. Adding Bichette to a lineup already featuring Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper could be what gets Philadelphia over the hump, and the longer Bichette's free agency lingers, the more likely it is his asking price will fall to a place the Phillies are comfortable with.
Cubs will need to get creative to sign Bo Bichette
The Chicago Cubs haven't been mentioned much in the Bichette sweepstakes, but the need for them to make a splash is obvious, and Bichette would certainly qualify as that. Unfortunately, beyond the need for Tom Ricketts to spend the kind of money he, for whatever reason, refuses to, the Cubs will need to create room for Bichette on their roster. This would likely come by trading Nico Hoerner and playing Bichette at second base.
The idea of this happening is not far-fetched. Heyman reported on New Year's Day that the Cubs were fielding offers for Hoerner. Even with Hoerner entering his final year of club control, he should generate a ton of interest on the trade block, and the Cubs might get an offer that's too enticing to pass on.
Bichette is not the defender or base runner Hoerner is, but his bat is a clear notch above, and can help make up for Kyle Tucker's likely departure. Beyond Ricketts spending the money necessary, there are enough moving parts that'll go into the Cubs potentially signing Bichette to make it feel unlikely. Still, the fact that they've been linked to him means there's a non-zero possibility, and that could wind up being huge for a Cubs team that, again, needs to make a splash.
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