Headed into the offseason, the Blue Jays plans concerning Bo Bichette’s return to Toronto via free agency were unclear. After signing Kazuma Okamoto, the next best bat behind Munetaka Murakami coming state side this winter, the Blue Jays opening day lineup looks a little more solidified, and it doesn’t include Bo Bichette.
With Okamoto slotted in to play third base everyday and Andres Gimenez able to slide over to shortstop where he likely will be a better defender than Bichette, there isn’t a whole lot of need when it comes to Toronto’s left side of the infield at the moment. There have been rumors that Bichette will likely move over to second base eventually, and while that is an option in Toronto, the Blue Jays would like to continue getting Ernie Clement in the lineup everyday at second base. Between Okamoto, Gimenez, and Clement, Bichette is the odd man out, meaning it’s likely he’ll be sporting a new uniform come this spring.
A favorite to land the soon to be 28 year old shortstop has yet to emerge, however, there are a few teams that would be a great fit for Bichette, and this team in specific might be the perfect fit. That team happens to be the Detroit Tigers.
The Tigers could be the perfect fit for Bo Bichette
Following a heartbreaking loss in last year’s ALDS heading into the final year of Tarik Skubal’s contract with Detroit, there is a sense of urgency in the Tigers front office, and they have yet to really add to the lineup. Gleyber Torres accepting his qualifying offer is the only transaction of significance the Tigers have made on the position player front thus far, but haven’t added anything of significance.
As it stands right now, the opening day infield in Detroit would consist of Gleyber Torres, Colt Keith, and Zack McKinstry. Certainly not a bad infield, but also one that could be in need of an upgrade if the Tigers want to return to the postseason in 2026 and make a deep run.
While Bichette comes with his defensive concerns and his days are likely numbered as a shortstop, his presence would be felt in the lineup. The Tigers were a middle of the pack offense in 2025 and their main problem was the amount of strikeouts in the lineup. As a unit, their 23.9% strikeout rate was the fourth highest in baseball and the highest among last year’s 12 playoff teams. Bichette only struck out 14.5% of the time in 2025 - a career low - and was a big part of Toronto’s offensive success as a high-contact offense.
On top of the high-contact approach that Bichette could bring to Detroit to help diversify the lineup, he also hit right-handed pitching very well last year - something Tigers right handed hitters failed to do. Against right handed pitching last year, Detroit’s right handed hitters posted just an 89 wRC+ which ranked 23rd in the league. Bichette posted a 131 wRC+ against right handed pitching.
Bo Bichette could be an excellent pivot from Alex Bregman
Bichette is an upgrade to the Tigers lineup in multiple ways, but adding him could hinge upon their pursuit of Alex Bregman. The Tigers have been in the mix to land Bregman in each of the last two offseasons, and assuming Bregman has priority over Bichette given their greater need at third base, Bichette could be the perfect pivot from Bregman if the Tigers don’t land him. Adding both seems like a long shot especially if the Tigers want to go all in on retaining Tarik Skubal in free agency next winter. It’s also worth noting that Bichette is four years younger than Bregman and could potentially fill that hole at third base, if not second base, in the future. Both infielders are likely to land similar contracts, somewhere in the $150-200 million over five to seven year range. Bichette could end up being the wiser financial decision in the long run.
Given what he can provide offensively to a lineup in Detroit that needs to add production, and his willingness to move around the diamond on defense, not only could the Tigers be the perfect fit for Bo Bichette, but Bo Bichette could in fact be the perfect fit for the Tigers.