This past season, Bo Bichette was the rising star anchoring the Blue Jays’ infield defense. But re-signing him back to the franchise is proving to be a dicey situation- one that has made head coach John Schneider really desperate. While the rival Red Sox were targeting Alex Bregman, his commitment to the Chicago Cubs has shifted their focus back on Bo Bichette, putting the Blue Jays on high alert.

“The Boston Red Sox, after missing out on re-signing Alex Bregman, will now turn their sights to Bo Bichette,” Nick Gosse of Jays Digest shared on Saturday. “The Red Sox now have lost  Rafael Devers and Alex Bregman. They’re going to go all out for Bo Bichette, and that makes things very scary because that’s a nightmare.”

Both Red Coxs and Blue Jays are looking forward to strengthening their defenses. Just a while ago, the Jays signed Kazuma Okamoto, who is likely to play third base, locking him down with a $60 million deal. With that, they set their focus on retaining Bichette for the next season. However, Bo is presently enjoying his time in free agency and has been pursued aggressively by rivals, especially the AL East Rivals, the Red Sox.

Initially, the Red Sox were planning to sign Alex Bregman. But his latest $175 million contract with the Chicago Cubs has disrupted those plans. Obviously, the next target for the Sox became their rival’s prized two-time All-Star honoree, Bo Bichette. After concluding the season with eighteen home runs and 94 RBIs, he remains the home-grown star player that the Jays faithful have come to cherish, but retaining him has become a tricky situation. Not just the Sox, there are multiple camps that are interested in pursuing him. The Sportsnaut’s Matt Johnson shares that the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Yankees are in hot pursuit.

“The door truly seems open to an exit, he wrote on Jan 9. “Bichette has popped on the radar for the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, and Chicago Cubs this month.”

While the Blue Jays were celebrating Okamoto’s arrival, rival camps were reportedly closing in to their star player. The Athletic’s Matt Gelb shared that the Phillies are a serious contender.

“Bichette is expected to meet with Phillies officials on a video conference call in the coming days, [league] sources said,” Gelb wrote. “The club’s interest in Bichette is legitimate, and if it results in a deal, it would likely require the team to move on from roster mainstays J.T. Realmuto and Alec Bohm.”

The Chicago Cubs were another contender, but naturally, with Bragman’s signing, the Jays have one less contender to battle with. Undoubtedly, it poses an alarming situation for the Blue Jays, but Bichette might make a profitable deal out of it. The Cubs’ new signee has already bagged a $175 million deal. Naturally, with Bichette’s popularity and demand, he has leverage. Last season, he was earning around $17.58 million, but with his popularity soaring, the 27-year-old is seeking a whopping $300 million in his next contract, as shared by the New York Post’s Jon Heyman on Friday.

While the Red Sox and the Steelers were not enough to give John Schneider a headache, another franchise has joined the list.

Seattle Mariners emerged as the dark horse for Bo Bichette

Despite sustaining a left knee injury, Bo Bichette found his way back into the World Series. However, with the Blue Jays losing Game 7 against the LA Dodgers, Bo Bichette wrapped up his season, batting with a .311, 78 runs, 18 homers, and 94 RBIs.

Previously, it was expected that Bichette would be returning to the Blue Jays; however, it no longer holds true. Along with the Red Sox and Philadelphia Steelers gauging his interest, the Seattle Mariners have also joined the camp.

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“If the Blue Jays land Kyle Tucker and the Dodgers prioritize outfield help, Bichette’s market gets tougher to nail down,” Rueters wrote on Sunday. “And the Mariners’ current window of contention and clear need at second base make them a candidate for a late push.”

Presently, the free agent hasn’t hinted much about his future plans. All we know is that his popularity continues to soar, making him a highly sought-after player in the pro league. As of the Jays, the Athletic’s Mitch Bannon believes that their chances of re-signing with Bo Bichette are increasingly unlikely.