The MLB is slowly approaching the phase in free agency when teams, players, agents and insiders get super busy. In what has been a relatively slow offseason, several players remain unattached to clubs, including marquee free agents Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette. Here’s taking a look at their latest developments.
Jon Heyman Reports Yankees Fourth-Best in Kyle Tucker in Sweepstakes
ESPN’s Buster Olney reported on Saturday that the New York Yankees and Cody Bellinger’s negotiations were at an impasse, and the team considered moving on from the player to other free agents like Kyle Tucker or Bo Bichette.
While Bichette could be an infield fix, Tucker would have matched the similar outfielder profile that Bellinger was bringing. Moreover, Tucker would also be an offensive upgrade for the Yanks.
But according to The New York Post’s Jon Heyman, in his column on Jan. 12, the Yankees are in the “periphery” for Kyle Tucker. This comes after Jim Duquette reported on Sunday on his X account that the New York Mets, the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers were among the teams to have held meetings with Tucker and his agent, Casey Close.
The Yankees could definitely match the offers given by the other three big-market clubs and pair up Tucker alongside Aaron Judge at the top of the lineup. Tucker has a career .274 average and has hit 134 home runs in the past five seasons.
Although they have shown reluctance in committing long-term to a player, after reports emerged that the gap in the negotiations with Bellinger was due to the term. Bellinger and agent Scott Boras want seven years, while New York is offering them five.
Phillies Emerging as Frontrunners For Bo Bichette
The Philadelphia Phillies, valued at $3.1 billion by Forbes, reportedly had a Zoom meeting with Bo Bichette and his team on Monday. According to MLB insider Ken Rosenthal, speaking on Foul Territory TV on Jan. 12, the Phillies could show their intent by acting aggressively and offering the former Blue Jays infielder a contract before the meeting.
“Alonso said the Orioles made an offer showing their intent before he even was in the meeting with them,” Rosenthal said. “They made that offer before the meeting, and I imagine if the Phillies want to be aggressive with Bichette, they will do something along those same lines. If I had to guess right now, I would say the Phillies are the favorite. We’ll see what happens.”
Details are yet to be revealed of the meeeting but all signs point towards the Phillies soon getting the deal done. Among their contenders, the Toronto Blue Jays have dropped out after signing Japanese infielder Kazuma Okamoto. The New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers, like Toronto, are more focused on an outfield at-bat in the form of Kyle Tucker.
The New York Yankees could still pivot to Bichette, but they have a plan to use their regular shortstops for the 2026 season and have second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. Meanwhile, the Phillies could shift Bryson Stott in the infield and trade Alec Bohm to make space for Bichette in the diamond alongside Trea Turner.
Bichette is a career .294 hitter with 111 home runs and 437 RBIs in seven seasons with the Blue Jays.
