Let’s be honest—the moment the Toronto Blue Jays slapped that one-year qualifying offer in front of Bo Bichette, the vibe just changed in Toronto. Both sides want each other, but that offer didn’t scream long-term commitment. That wasn’t a “You’re our franchise shortstop.” It sounded more like the Jays saying, “We’ll keep you another year… if it makes sense for us.”

And once Bo turned it down, the conversation shifted from will Bichette come back to which position will Bichette actually play? Suddenly, this shadow of an unofficial demotion seems to be lurking around. Keegan Matheson at the Toronto Sports Rush summed it up best, saying that teams in contention for him simply don’t agree on Bo’s value anymore.

Matheson said, “A lot of teams are going to value Bo very differently…. Bo Bichette is not a player that people agree on. And that means that some people, some teams, will view him as a second baseman, maybe a third baseman. I don’t think he’s a third baseman, but a second baseman who is going to decline physically and slow down even more. That’s a lot different from a shortstop who is one of the better hitters among middle infielders in baseball.”

That knee injury sure did make other teams skeptical, and so what Matheson is saying makes sense. Now, this last month was the first time that Bichette even tried his hand at a different position—second baseman. And now, teams might see the value attached to that role for him.

As far as interested teams, even the clubs with established shortstops, like the Mets with Francisco Lindor, the Phillies with Trea Turner, and the Giants with Willy Adames, are seen as potential bidders for Bichette. No, it’s not because they are going to chase their shortstops away, but because they may be trading him because they see him somewhere else.

MLB’s Jon Paul Morosi even reported that several teams were already evaluating Bichette as a second or third baseman. For a player who built his identity at short, this is a bitter pill to swallow.

But even the Jays know the reality all too well—they did see Bo Bichette’s -13 Outs Above Average—tied for worst in baseball—and they know that it complicates a long-term marriage. After all, shortstop defense is not a simple task. But even then, there is no denying the Bichette bliss.

A .311 average, 18 homers, an .840 OPS, and that electric Game 7 homer off Shohei Ohtani? That is star-like production. So right now the Jays might be stuck in a limbo, between wanting him and seconding him. Bo has said several times that he loves Toronto, but as Matheson said, that doesn’t mean Bichette will take a discount for loyalty. Baseball doesn’t work on nostalgia.

Atlanta Braves and Bo Bichette: what are the chances?

The Atlanta Braves have a golden chance this off-season to address one of the biggest needs this off-season: elite production up the middle. And this is where Bo Bichette enters the picture. He is the dynamic, impactful talent that the Braves need to be going after aggressively. Sure, Toronto still appears to be the favorite, but that qualifying offer is no vote of confidence, so Atlanta can shift the momentum with the right offer.

As far as the market projections go, Bichette could range from $185 million over seven years to as high as $250 million over ten. This depends on whether he stays at shortstop or moves to second or third base, because that really changes the rates. For Atlanta, a ten-year and $220 million deal with a $22 million AAV makes sense. A long-term security for Bichette and a manageable payroll for Atlanta. So a full no-trade clause would show some serious commitment from their end.

The Atlanta Braves have struggled with consistency at shortstop since Swanson left, and hence, Bichette fills that void perfectly and with that offensive firepower. His recent knee sprain is a hiccup for sure, but it appears minor, so the risk seems reasonable. Sure, Bichette has repeated his desire to stay in Toronto, but money and opportunity can tip the scales.

Other teams like the Phillies, Mets, Boston Red Sox, and even the Tigers are circling him. So whatever teams are interested, they need to make an offer soon.