Bo Bichette, Blue Jays avoid arbitration with reported contract extension

The Jays will reportedly buy out Bo Bichette’s final three arbitration-eligible seasons. (Getty)

The Toronto Blue Jays eventually won’t arbitrate with shortstop Bo Bichette.

Bichette, whose hearing was reportedly scheduled for Thursdayagreed to a multi-year deal with the franchise on Tuesday to avoid arbitration, according to Sportsnet Ben Nicholson Smith. Nicholson-Smith also reported that negotiations for a bridge deal intensified earlier this week.

The exact terms of the deal have not been released as of this writing, but the structure could look something like this:

After failing to reach an agreement by last month’s deadline, Bichette and the Blue Jays exchanged payroll numbers, with the team offering $5 million and the 2021 All-Star enlistment offering $7.5 million. That $2.5 million gap tied with Houston’s Kyle Tucker for the biggest MLB-wide.

Once both sides have exchanged financials, the only way to avoid arbitration before entering a third-party hearing is to agree to a multi-year deal, which the Blue Jays have since inked with their initial shortstop.

Toronto followed a similar path shortly after acquiring Matt Chapman last spring, buying up its last two years of arbitration with a $25 million extension through 2023. The 29-year-old is free to enter after this season.

Bichette’s new deal will not affect his free agency schedule as he remains eligible to reach the open market after the 2025 season. However, the fact that both sides have found common ground with a short-term extension could be good for a long-term extension.

But as of now, Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. are set to become free agents in less than three years. Guerrero, who avoids arbitration earlier this winter, will make $14.5 million as a sophomore ARB player.

Bichette has been a key member of Toronto’s core since arriving in the majors in 2019, and has logged 393 games and 1,727 plate appearances during his career. He owns a career .297/.340/.491 Slash Line, a 127 wRC+ and was rated 11.8 fWAR.

The right-hander hit .290/.333/.469 with 24 homers, 93 RBIs and 129 wRC+ in 159 contests while posting a career-high 1,374.1 innings with a 4.5 fWAR last season.

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Source: ca.sports.yahoo.com