With the conclusion of Kazuma Okamoto’s free agency, Bo Bichette could be the next major free agent infielder to sign. The New York Post‘s Jon Heyman reports that the Philadelphia Phillies are among six teams interested in Bichette. It’s unclear if there’s genuine interest on Philadelphia’s part or if they’re being used as leverage for rival clubs.
Bichette, 27, is coming off another strong year with Toronto. He put up a .311/.357/.483 slash with 18 home runs, 94 RBI, and a 134 wRC+ in 2025. In four of the last five seasons, he’s posted at least 175 hits and 3.8 fWAR.
The price for Bichette could be very exorbitant for the Phillies. MLB Trade Rumors predicts the former Blue Jay to sign an eight-year, $208 million contract. The median crowd-sourced projection on FanGraphs’ free agent tracker has him at seven years and $189 million.
A Bichette signing would push the Phillies’ Competitive Balance Tax payroll to well over $300 million. That’s hardly a deterrent at this point, as they’ve already exceeded the maximum penalty threshold. Roster Resource currently has them at $299 million after adding Brad Keller and re-signing Kyle Schwarber.
Bo Bichette’s Fit with the Phillies
GettyBo Bichette could have a hot market, with multiple big-market clubs like the Phillies pursuing him this offseason.
Despite their aggressive offseasons, the Phillies have failed to win a title in their current window. They built their core through free agency, handing out big deals to Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto, and Trea Turner.
In the three-year window of having those four players, the club hasn’t won a National League pennant. Their best chance came in 2023, when they squandered leads of 2-0 and 3-2 to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Adding Bichette functionally replaces Realmuto in the lineup, even at a different position. The former Blue Jays shortstop is more likely to play second base for the Phillies, which carries a ripple effect on the infield.
The best spot for Bichette in the lineup would be third. That would split up the two left-handed hitters, Schwarber and Harper, in the lineup. It’s worth noting that the two held their own against southpaws in 2025. Schwarber and Harper produced a wRC+ of 162 and 125, respectively. However, no manager is going to face that part of the order late in games without a left-handed reliever ready.
Bichette didn’t have big platoon splits in terms of average or on-base percentage. However, his slugging increased by 80 points (.546 vs. .465) when facing lefties. But having that right-handed bat makes it more difficult for opposing managers to match up late in games.
Alec Bohm Becomes Odd Man Out?
Alec Bohm could be the odd man out on the Phillies infield in the event of a Bo Bichette signing
A Bichette signing means a change at second base. Bryson Stott has been the primary starter at that position since 2023. That means the Phillies would have to either trade him or move him to third base, and platoon with Edmundo Sosa.
Should the Phillies elect to hold onto Stott and move him to third base, there is no room for Bohm in the Phillies lineup. Harper and Schwarber are on long-term deals, meaning they can’t change Bohm’s defensive position to keep him in the lineup.
Instead, the Phillies could trade Bohm to strengthen their pitching staff for 2026. Bohm is projected to make $10.3 million in his final year of arbitration. Steamer projects him to put up a 105 wRC+ and 2.1 fWAR in 2026.
There’s value in adding another starter, as it’s unclear when Zack Wheeler will return from thoracic outlet surgery. The timetable for a return is 6-8 months, which could necessitate a stint on the injured list to begin the season. Top prospect Andrew Painter is currently projected to take Wheeler’s rotation spot.
The bullpen could be an interesting spot. Jhoan Duran, Brad Keller, and José Alvarado figure to get the bulk of the high-leverage innings.
However, the rest of their bullpen could be an exploitable weakness. They’re relying on Jonathan Bowlen, Zach Pop, Tanner Banks, and Orion Kerkering in the middle innings. Adding another back-end arm who can step up on nights their top arms are unavailable decreases the club’s margin for error.
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