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By Patrick McAvoy
Contributing Sports Writer
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Over the course of a Major League Baseball offseason, there's always going to be rumors and speculation overflowing throughout news feeds.
Mock trades, projected signings, rumors, and pure speculation fill a void all the same, left with no big league baseball games for a few months. With the volume of chatter out there, it's hard to cut through it all. If you are a Toronto Blue Jays fan, for example, you've likely seen Bo Bichette's name all over the place. He and the team have both said they want to continue their partnership into the 2026 season and beyond. Nothing has changed. Bichette declined the qualifying offer officially on Tuesday, but that doesn't change the pursuit in free agency, although if you have been scrolling you've likely seen some using the idea as a way to spread doom-and-gloom.
There's no need for concern yet. For example, MLB.com insider Keegan Matheson gave a brief update on the Bichette sweepstakes and continued to say the same thing that has been out there for a while: Toronto wants him back.
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"The Blue Jays won’t say much out loud, but there’s no mystery here. They want Bichette back," Matheson wrote. "It’s still stunning, in the wake of the Blue Jays’ Game 7 loss in 11 innings, that we are not talking about Bichette’s home run as one of the biggest moments in this franchise’s history. In time, we’ll be able to properly frame it, but that heartbreaking loss took the shine off what should have been a career-defining moment for Bichette, who came back from a left knee injury to play in the World Series after seven weeks on the shelf, taking on a new position in the process."
Matheson did note that the competition will be stiff, while citing the fact that teams are viewing him at multiple positions as a reason why.
"The biggest variable with Bichette’s free agency is his position," Matheson continued. "While some clubs view him as a shortstop and the Blue Jays remain open to him at that position, other clubs will be more attracted to him as a second or third baseman. Bichette’s defense has never been his calling card, and his baserunning has declined. But this is a rare talent offensively, a middle infielder who can bat in the middle of almost any lineup. Because of this, expect there to be an extremely wide range in how Bichette is valued, which could cause his market to drag on."
In the MLB offseason, it's important to come back and listen to the insiders at points when some of the noise gets too loud to handle. No need to be worried yet, Blue Jays fans.
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