The Boston Red Sox are looking to add another bat to their lineup this offseason, and among their targets is Bo Bichette.
The Red Sox’s top priority is reportedly Alex Bregman, but they are talking to Bichette. He is presumably a backup plan, but according to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, he will be an expensive one.
“As an ultra young free agent at 27, Bichette’s ask is thought around $300 million, which at first blush may sound high considering that’s the ballpark of even more accomplished shortstops Corey Seager, Trea Turner and Francisco Lindor, but maybe not when you consider how deals for Juan Soto and Bichette’s teammate/great friend Vlad Guerrero Jr. moved the market,” Heyman wrote on Thursday.
Bichette is one of the best hitters in baseball, and some teams may see him as a better fit than Bregman. However, the Red Sox know what Bregman brings to their clubhouse as a leader, which is likely why he is their top choice.
Bichette is a two-time All-Star at shortstop and has led the American League in hits twice in his career. He had a chance to lead all of baseball in hits last season before a knee injury in the final month of the regular season.
Although he’s an excellent hitter who makes consistent contact and uses the entire field, his glove remains a significant question mark. He grades as one of the weakest defensive shortstops in the league, leading many evaluators to project an eventual move to either second or third base.
If he’s serious about commanding a $300 million contract, a club will need confidence that he can provide at least average defense at one of those positions. Without that assurance, reaching that price point will be a challenge.
A $300 million contract would tie him for the fourth-largest deal ever among shortstops. A move to second base would make it the richest contract in that position’s history, while at third base it would rank third all time.
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