Right after the World Series, when Bo Bichette made it official that he was testing free agency, the expectation was that he’d be at the center of a massive bidding war. ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel even projected a five-year deal worth about $150 million. And why not? Bichette came back from a knee injury to crush a memorable three-run homer off Shohei Ohtani in a dramatic Game 7.

But fast forward to now, and things haven’t played out the way anyone expected.

Teams haven’t exactly been lining up to sign him, and the buzz around his market has cooled. The latest report from CBS Sports’ Julian McWilliams only adds to that feeling, noting that the Red Sox are essentially out on Bichette unless his price drops, and that their attention is more firmly on Alex Bregman instead.

So how did one of the most talked-about free agents on the market suddenly find himself waiting for that call?

“There are concerns about his defense. There are concerns about his ability to run the base paths. And then, one thing McDaniel brought up in this article is that an executive said there are concerns about the injuries caused. Obviously, 2024 was one big show, and then you saw him get injured for a short period in 2025. So there’s a lot of red flags right now circling the Bichette market.” A snapshot from the Blue Jays Today podcast.

Well, Bichette’s numbers look really strong. He hit .311 with 18 HRs and an .840 OPS in 139 games before the knee injury shut him down late in the regular season. Then he came back for the World Series and was outstanding, batting .346 with a homer and six RBIs in just 27 plate appearances.

But there’s another side to the story, and it’s what’s giving front offices pause.

The most enormous red flag is defense. Bichette’s glove took a real hit in 2025 as he finished tied for last in all of MLB with minus-13 OAA. Moreover, his sprint speed fell off a cliff, dropping from the 83rd percentile earlier in his career to just the 28th percentile this past season. That loss of range has made him look like a liability at shortstop, which is a tough sell in today’s game.

Then there’s the injury history.

Bo Bichette’s 2024 season was rough, with a calf strain and a fractured finger limiting him to just 81 games and leading to career-worst numbers before his season ended early. This year, it was the knee injury that kept him out down the stretch, with his return coming only in the World Series. So, when you combine defensive decline with recurring health issues, it’s easier to see why the market has cooled.

Ironically, all of that may be pushing things toward a reunion with Toronto. With the Blue Jays still empty-handed on bigger targets like Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger, bringing Bichette back into the fold suddenly feels more realistic. And if his price keeps sliding, the deal could end up looking even better from the Jays’ point of view.

Bichette is still not over with the new suitors

Well, even if the Red Sox are walking away from Bichette, and the Jays are still not showing desperation, there are a few more coming in the race.

According to Ryan Finkelstein of Just Baseball, Bichette is projected to land an eight-year, $208 million deal with the Tigers. As surprising as that sounds, it would put his average annual value right around $30 million. And on paper, the fit actually makes sense. Bichette is a right-handed bat, and Detroit clearly needs infield help.

Still, it’s hard to picture the Tigers committing nearly $30 million a year over eight seasons. That kind of deal would be a major step for an organization that hasn’t often gone that big.

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However, we all remember last offseason, when Detroit made an aggressive push for Alex Bregman and came up empty. So, maybe this time, Bo Bichette is the infielder they decide to lock up long-term instead.

Nevertheless, it’s just a matter of seeing how it all plays out. What’s already clear, though, is that the market hasn’t developed the way Bichette probably expected. And from the Blue Jays’ perspective, that’s not exactly a bad thing.