It's Bo or bust for the Blue Jays after Kyle Tucker signs with the Dodgers

Another offseason, another big free agent the Toronto Blue Jays couldn't land. Thursday night (Jan. 15) provided another bombshell for MLB as Kyle Tucker decided to join the reigning back-to-back World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

Tucker signed a whopping four-year, $240 million deal, which equates to a $60 million AAV, giving him the second-highest AAV behind Shohei Ohtani's $70 million. With Tucker now settled (much to the disappointment of the MLB fanbase), that leaves the Blue Jays with the pivot of a lifetime: Bo Bichette

It's Bo or bust for the Blue Jays

For months, the question for the Blue Jays was "Kyle Tucker, or Bo Bichette?" After Kazuma Okamoto signed, if Toronto wanted to continue spending, it would be between the two. In recent weeks, it seemed clear the Blue Jays picked Tucker and made it full steam ahead for the former Chicago Cub.

However, that potentially meant Bo would be in a different uniform in 2026, leaving Bichette to look for other suitors. As of late, the Philadelphia Phillies emerged as a strong candidate for Bichette, who had a great meeting with the shortstop.

At the time of this writing, MLB Insider Jon Heyman reported Bichette's camp was looking for a deal north of $300 million. Although it may scream overpay for somebody who's had injury problems and never found a good rhythm at shortstop, it could look like a steal after what Tucker got from the Dodgers.

However, putting money aside and focusing on the sentimental value, Bichette is clearly still a beloved player among the Blue Jays fanbase. His resurgence in 2025 showed his importance to Toronto, which helped catapult the Blue Jays to a division title before his September injury. Despite not playing in the playoffs until the World Series, his Game 7 blast showed everybody how important Bichette is to this franchise.

Bichette's 2025 success would be an impact bat for a Blue Jays lineup in 2026 that may have gotten stronger with the likes of Okamoto on the team. Bo finished second in all of MLB in hits, a production that the Blue Jays would have a hard time replacing. Although you need to find an everyday spot for Bo and force players like Ernie Clement to become a super utility player, it's still worth it to bring him back.

For years, it seemed the Blue Jays were always missing that "one bat" to push them over the hill. However, with most of the young guns emerging in 2025, it's now an abundance of riches for the Blue Jays to add that "impact bat." If the Dodgers can continue to load up their power, why can't Toronto?

There's no doubt that following the news of Tucker, the Blue Jays must readjust their eggs and throw them into Bichette's basket. Should it have been Bo from day one? Is it too late? Only time will tell as free agency rolls on.