Braves’ latest decision just pushed Bo Bichette closer to Blue Jays

Besides Kyle Tucker, whom the Toronto Blue Jays also have a vested interest in, Bo Bichette remains the premier free agent on the market. The shortstop's latest update involved a revelation that he'd be willing to change positions for the right team, which is probably the right call after he "earned" -13 Outs Above Average at short in 2025.

While that will surely appeal to teams interested in the two-time All-Star, Bichette's market is more or less defined already. He'll be too expensive for small-market teams to sign, and his various warts (injury history, defensive issues, etc.) will surely keep on-the-fence suitors at bay.

That's great news for those hoping for a reunion with the Blue Jays, and the odds of that happening only got better in recent days. The Atlanta Braves have effectively taken themselves out of Bichette's market by signing shortstop Ha-Seong Kim.

Bo Bichette's market continues to narrow with Braves out of the running

Kim posted a 73 wRC+ and ameager defensive metrics in 24 games for the Tampa Bay Rays, who ultimately released him late in the 2025 season. The Braves claimed him off waivers, and while he was better in Atlanta (91 wRC+ while cutting his strikeout rate significantly), he was hardly the player who earned MVP votes with the San Diego Padres in 2023.

Nevertheless, at $20 million, the Braves have more or less committed to Kim being their shortstop in 2026. With Ozzie Albies locked in at second base and Austin Riley manning the hot corner, their infield is completely full. Which hopefully means they'll exit the Bo Bichette sweepstakes. At the moment, the Boston Red Sox appear to be the biggest competitors to the Blue Jays for Bichette's services, though that could change in a hurry if they re-sign star third baseman Alex Bregman.

They already have Trevor Story lined up at shortstop, and top prospect Marcelo Mayer will move over to the keystone if Bregman returns to play the hot corner. Unless Bichette is willing to play first base, that situation would effectively make Boston a difficult fit.

Of course, Bichette's potential position change should be a boon for the Blue Jays, who already have Andrés Giménez ready to take over shortstop on a full-time basis. Toronto really does appear to be the best fit for their long-tenured star, even if it would mean having to shuffle Ernie Clement, Addison Barger, and Davis Schneider around frequently to get them all legitimate playing time.

There's no guarantee that a re-signing will come to fruition — especially with the Blue Jays continuing to aggressively pursue Kyle Tucker — but as more and more interested parties leave the fray, a return to Toronto for Bichette is starting to look more and more likely.