"Same as what's going on with Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman and Cody Bellinger: What they believe they're worth has not been matched by teams. At this point, it's reasonable to think at least one will slip between the cracks and go for a shorter-term, opt-out-heavy deal we've seen work for Pete Alonso, Matt Chapman, and, for pitchers, Blake Snell. If that sort of deal would work for anyone, it might be Bichette, who could have a big year, show he's healthy, and hit the market again at 28 years old."
"The short-term contract is one that should really entice the Blue Jays when it comes to trying to get a deal done with Bichette. The pro for Bo is that Bichette will be 28-years-old next season and a two-year deal with an opt-out still gets him back on the market before he is 30-years-old, while paying him an average annual value of $27 million. The pro for the Blue Jays is that they get a guy they already know back in the fold and then they can exclusively negotiate a longer term deal while he's still their employee."
Four established position players — Bo Bichette, Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger, and Alex Bregman — remain unsigned because teams have not matched their asking prices. Teams are increasingly considering shorter-term, opt-out-heavy contracts as a bridge solution, paralleling recent deals for Pete Alonso, Matt Chapman, and Blake Snell. A two-year opt-out deal could benefit Bichette by allowing a strong season at age 28 and the opportunity to re-enter free agency before 30. Such a deal would provide the Blue Jays immediate infield continuity while preserving negotiation advantages and giving minor-league prospects time to develop.
Read at Jays Journal
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]