Blue Jays avoid arbitration with Bichette, announce 3-year extension
Posted February 9, 2023 8:12 pm.
Last Updated February 9, 2023 8:20 pm.
The Toronto Blue Jays avoided arbitration with star shortstop Bo Bichette, agreeing to a three-year contract extension that the team made official on Thursday.
The deal is worth $33.6 million, according to Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith.
The new contract will not affect the Blue Jays’ window of club control by delaying his path to free agency, as Bichette was under team control regardless of the extension. Toronto and third baseman Matt Chapman came to a similar agreement last winter, agreeing to a two-year, $25 million extension that bought out his final two years of arbitration.
Putting a Bo on the deal ✍️
We’ve agreed to terms with SS Bo Bichette on a 3-year contract! pic.twitter.com/SmoPgt5geM
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) February 10, 2023
The Blue Jays and Bichette were prepared to have an arbitrator determine his 2023 salary after initially failing to come to terms on a one-year deal. Bichette is now signed through the 2025 season.
Toronto has now signed all of its arbitration-eligible players. General manager Ross Atkins is expected to address the media on Friday, with Bichette slated to discuss the new contract on Monday.
The 24-year-old Bichette slashed .290/.333/.469 with 24 homers and 93 RBI in 159 games last season.
Bichette was picked to his first All-Star team in 2021, finishing the year with a .298/.343/.484 slash line with 29 homers and 102 RBI. He’s been one of the game’s best shortstops in the last few years, worth just over 10 WAR with 53 combined home runs.
