After the deadline for teams to reach agreements with certain players before heading to arbitration passed, several players had signed new deals, while others had not.
However, that doesn’t mean that an arbitration hearing can’t still be avoided.
Late on Tuesday, the Toronto Blue Jays and star shortstop Bo Bichette agreed to a new contract.
The deal is for three years, according to Blue Jays insider Ben Nicholson-Smith.
The contract not only ensures that Bichette and the Blue Jays have avoided arbitration for 2023, but it also buys out the remaining arbitration years for the star shortstop.
Mark Feinsand confirmed Nicholson-Smith’s report on Twitter.
No other details of the deal were presented.
Bo Bichette and the Blue Jays have agreed to a three-year deal, per source, avoiding arbitration while also buying out his final two arb years. He is slated to hit free agency after the 2025 season. @bnicholsonsmith was on it.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) February 8, 2023
Bichette is not set to enter free agency until after the 2025 season.
But fortunately for the Blue Jays, they will not have to worry about arbitration with their star shortstop.
Bichette hit for a .290 average in 2022 with 24 home runs and on-base and slugging percentages of .333 and 469, respectively.
He also drove in 93 runs and had an OPS of .802.
With a few players and their teams being unable to reach agreements, the Blue Jays are fortunate to have their star shortstop under contract for the next three seasons.
The slugger broke into the big leagues in 2019 and earned an All-Star nod in 2021.
The 24-year-old also earned Player of the Week honors in the American League during the month of September last season.
Bichette has been a key piece to the puzzle for the Blue Jays alongside Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Cavan Biggio, George Springer, Alejandro Kirk, and others.
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