Well, the Philadelphia Phillies have officially struck out on the marquee Japanese free agents, as third baseman Kazuma Okamoto has reportedly agreed to a contract to join the Toronto Blue Jays.
While this is certainly frustrating for fans who are starving for some new blood in the Phillies lineup, it could potentially be a good thing for the franchise. Blue Jays star shortstop Bo Bichette remains on the open market just waiting for a team to come along and scoop him up, especially if they're not as interested in a reunion after Okamoto's signing.
Could that team be the Philadelphia Phillies? There is certainly a case to be made that Bichette would be an ideal fit in South Philly. New reports from the NY Post's Jon Heyman suggest the Phillies are interested.
"The Phillies are among a number of big-market teams to have interest in Bo Bichette, an ultra young (27) free agent," Heyman wrote on Saturday. "Yanks, Cubs, Dodgers, Red Sox, and incumbent Jays, too. Bichette is the only player to hit .300 vs. fastballs, breaking balls, and also changeups/splits."
Signing Bo Bichette Would Put Phillies Over the Top
Fresh off a magical postseason run that ended in Game 7 of the World Series, the righ- handed infielder would be a massive addition to the Phillies' lineup.
The 2025 season saw Bichette slash .311/.357/.483 (.840 OPS) to go along with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs. Bo also added 44 doubles, and in the World Series, he was just in another stratosphere, slashing .348/.444/.478 (.923 OPS) along with an HR and six RBIs.
Bichette also had an iconic moment, smashing a three-run homer in Game 7 of the World Series, putting the Jays in position to win their first title since 1993, before the bullpen ultimately blew it. Still, that's exactly the kind of clutch player the Phillies should be trying to add.
The Phillies currently have a bit of a logjam in the infield, but it is no secret they are looking to upgrade the hot corner, as they spent most of last offseason looking to move on from Alec Bohm, and rumors are they'd be willing to do the same here this offseason.
At only 27 years old, Bichette could be a significant part of not only this current Phillies core but also the next great core, which could potentially include Andrew Painter, Aidan Miller, and Justin Crawford.
There is no question that Bichette would be a significant addition to the Phillies and would only lengthen the current World Series window this team has. It also adds some serious protection for Bryce Harper while completely transforming the ceiling of this lineup.
Only time will tell if there is anything to these rumors, but typically, where there is smoke, there is fire. It is time for president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski to make a signature move and get this Phillies team over the hump.