Blue Jays superstar gets $100 million free agency update from ESPN insider

The Toronto Blue Jays took care of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s free agency before it even began, but they'll still have interesting decisions upcoming this winter.

For the last five years, free agency has been all about the chase for Toronto. They started courting all the big names, and though they tried their best for Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto, the best they could do was George Springer and Anthony Santander.

This winter, one of the biggest names is coming out of Toronto. Shortstop Bo Bichette, a two-time American League All-Star who is still only 27, is one of the toughest players to project for future contract purposes.

Last season was disastrous for Bichette, and though he's been back to his contact-hitting ways in 2025, he's somehow got just one home run to show for his efforts. The Blue Jays might be interested in a reunion, but it all depends on the price tag.

On Tuesday, ESPN insider Jeff Passan attempted to project that price tag. Bichette was one of a group of 2025-26 free agents that Passan projected would break the $100 million threshold on their next deal.

"Two years ago, Bichette looked like a lock for $300 million," Passan wrote. "A brutal 2024 soured his stock, and while his average has climbed early this season, the power he showed in three consecutive 20-plus-homer seasons remains AWOL.

Follow The Sporting News On WhatsApp

"Because he'll be a 28-year-old shortstop, Bichette can get nine figures. He also could opt for a short-term deal with opt-outs to maximize his opportunities to hit the market after a strong season."

There were times during the last few seasons when rational baseball minds argued that Bichette was a more valuable piece of the Blue Jays' future than Guerrero. Those arguments have completely dried up, but the potential is still there if Bichette can start driving the ball again.

Will Toronto want in on the action if the bidding for Bichette starts at nine figures? It seems tenuous after the Guerrero expenditure, but certainly not out of the question.

More MLB: Mets urged to 'kick the tires' on blockbuster trade for $50 million Red Sox star