- Chicago Cubs signal 3B Alex Bregman for $175 million, 5 years
- Boston Crimson Sox reportedly turning to free agent SS Bo Bichette after lacking out on Bregman
- Blue Jays nonetheless FanDuel betting favourites to convey again Bichette
The information yesterday that 3B Alex Bregman had signed a 5-year, $175 million contract with the Chicago Cubs might find yourself being the spark to hurry up an MLB free agent market that has been sluggish rolling to this point.
Bo Bichette of the Toronto Blue Jays hits a three-run house run towards Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers throughout Recreation 7 of the World Sequence in Toronto in November. Bichette is a free agent. (Picture: Vaughn Ridley/Getty Photographs)
SS Bo Bichette has been a fixture on the Toronto Blue Jays since graduating to MLB alongside Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in 2019, having risen up by the Jays’ system with Guerrero Jr.. They’re peas in a pod, on a Jays’ crew that got here inside an inch of beating the Los Angeles Dodgers within the World Sequence in November, dropping 5-4 in 11 innings in Recreation 7. Now a free agent, it would imply heartache for Jays’ followers if Bichette leaves.
MLB Betting: Jays Nonetheless Favorite
Bichette is arguably the most effective hitter obtainable on the free agent market now – .294 profession batting common, .337 OBP, 111 HRs, 437 RBIs. And final season he was the Blue Jays’ finest hitter – .311 batting common, 18 HRs, 94 RBIs, earlier than a knee damage in September shut him down for the American League Divisional Sequence towards the New York Yankees, then the American League Championship Sequence towards the Seattle Mariners.
Bichette returned for the World Sequence towards the Dodgers, though he was pressured to shift to second base due to the knee damage. Who will neglect his towering three-run house run to centrefield off Shohei Ohtani within the third inning of Recreation 7 to place the Jays up 3-0?
So this morning listed below are the FanDuel odds within the Bichette subsequent crew market – Blue Jays -125, Philadelphia Phillies +300, Boston Crimson Sox +550, New York Yankees +750, Los Angeles Dodgers +1400, and Atlanta Braves +1900.
Little bit of a shock that there aren’t extra free agent betting markets on the market: “Years previous there actually could be, NBA as nicely they’re fairly standard bets,” mentioned Phill Gray, the previous head of buying and selling operations at Sports activities Interplay, and an trade sports activities betting advisor. “Extraordinarily risky although with timing can flip simply and get caught with dangerous pricing. Seems to be to be nothing on the market, bit stunned as nicely.”
$300 Million Ask?
Bichette, OF Kyle Tucker, OF Cody Bellinger are the big-ticket free brokers nonetheless obtainable. Reviews on the market have Bichette keen to maneuver from shortstop to second base to widen his market, and that his ask is $300 million.
The highlight for Bichette is on the Crimson Sox now, since Boston had eyes on bringing Bregman again. Buster Olney of ESPN reported the Crimson Sox had supplied him $165 million over 5 years earlier than he bolted for Chicago. So Boston is reportedly prioritizing Bichette. If he goes there, although, the place he slots in is one other factor fully. Trevor Storey is the shortstop in Boston. So Bichette must play second or third.
On the Bellinger entrance, Olney reported that Bellinger talks that may see him return to the New York Yankees have hit the rocks. The Yankees have been speaking to Bichette in response to Olney’s reporting so perhaps talks there warmth up as nicely.
Up to date World Sequence Odds
With a busy low season to this point – $337 million spent on 4 gamers (Dylan Stop, 7 years x $210 million, Cody Ponce, 3 years x $30 million, Tyler Rogers, 3 years x $37 million, Kazuma Okamoto, 4 years x $60 million) – the extra sensible manner for the Blue Jays to convey Bichette again will seemingly imply shorter time period and better AAV.
The excellent news is there may be a solution to all this quickly, with the Bregman signing, and a domino impact. If Bichette goes to the Crimson Sox, Phillies, or the Yankees, the Blue Jays, lengthy rumoured to be the entrance runner for Tucker (this story today had the Jays, Mets and Dodgers all speaking to Tucker), would little doubt enhance their provide to attempt to land the star outfielder.
“The Jays will seemingly keep in contact with Bichette’s representatives as free company stays fluid and plans evolve,” wrote Blue Jays’ insider Mitch Bannon in The Athletic. “Maybe if Bichette elects to take a shorter take care of opt-outs, much like the contracts signed by Alex Bregman, Pete Alonso, and Cody Bellinger in latest offseasons, the Jays might make issues work for a 12 months.”
As we speak’s World Sequence odds, in response to DraftKings, after the Bregman information: Dodgers +300, Yankees +750, Phillies +1100, Mariners +1300, Cubs +1500, Braves +1500, Blue Jays +1500, Astros +1600, Mets +1600, Crimson Sox +1700.
