OverDrive - Phillips on Bichette's future in Toronto, the Tucker sweepstakes and the starting pitching needs

Episode Date: November 19, 2025

TSN Baseball Insider Steve Phillips joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the MLB offseason, Bo Bichette's next steps in the league and the value of his contract, the Blue Jays' interest in Kyle Tucker and how he'd fit on the roster, the routes of addition and direction of the team and more.

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Restriction supply ships registered in Panama and Malta. Here's our baseball insider Steve Phillips. Steve, we're trying to brace for impact here in Toronto and figure out exactly where this is going to take us in the offseason. And we're hook, line and sinker again, man, Kyle Tucker, right? It was Juan Soto and it was Otani. Now it's Tucker that's coming up here and it's a lock. Do you see that happening or what? So here's the thing.

If it's Tucker, then it's not Bichette. I mean, I think that's the one thing that is clear is that Kyle Tucker is probably going to get the biggest free agent contract in the marketplace this hot scope season. So there's been speculation and could get as high as $400 million. Do the Blue Jays really want to have a $500 million investment and a $400 million investment into players? But Chet will be much less than that. The other thing about it is put Tucker in right field.

It moves Santander to left, Springer DHS, and it means that Barger becomes your everyday third basement. Clement goes to second. It's a lot of moving pieces. Now, I personally prefer Barger in the outfield than I do at third. I like him at third, but I don't love him at third. I love Clement at third with his defense there. I would rather have Bichette at second and go with the same outfield configuration that you had.

And Barger and right and Santander left and Barso and center. The idea of Tucker would bring another left-hand at bat in, So you'd be able to go Springer, Tucker, Vlad, Barger, you'd be able to go left, right, and have balance throughout the lineup. They've got enough balance for me. I think Barger and Varsho and Santander as a switch hitter should give them enough balance of left right to be able to get through it did this year. So I keep hearing Tucker. I don't see them as the biggest player on Tucker. and so I and then balancing the timing of all that's going to be interesting too so I keep hearing that

I'm not sure I buy that Tucker is plan A over Bichette being plan A so Steve you mentioned Bichette and you talked about it coming in lower what is we were talking yesterday what do you think a fair contract for him is either term or the actual financial amount yeah so right so the years are going to be the challenge. And that's where as an agent, you really make your money not on how much per year, you know, the extra money. You make it on how many years you can get somebody to commit to. And, you know, I think that health is a question. Pichette's knees on the turf is a question. It's a legitimate question to have to consider. And if the doctor sign off that the knee's going to be okay, and certainly the injury wasn't turf related anyway, it was a

slide-at-home plate, then I wouldn't be shocked if he gets an eight-to-10-year contract. We saw Dansby-Swanson as a shortstop get a seven-year deal at about $187 million. We saw Willie Adamas get a seven-year contract, and Bichette's, you know, in the age range, even a little bit younger than them. So I could see an eight-to-10-year deal for him. And I think you're looking at a number starting with a two, $200-plus million for him when it's all said and done, but it's not 400 million in Kyle Tucker. And it's a guy you know, it's a guy who likes the team that fits in with the team. Tucker is, he's not the most

dynamic personality. I like Bichette on this team. I like his energy on the team. I like his swag on this team. Tucker, when things don't go right, Tucker sometimes disappears internally. he just sort of he loses he gets quiet he sort of keeps to himself i don't want that this team needs energy it needs connection uh and so i'd prefer bachette to tucker and i think there's more there are a lot of teams in on tucker and i think that for buchette you're the tigers one of the breaks for the blue jays is detroit glaber torres taking the qualifying offer for 22 million kind of gets in the way of Bichette a little bit. I guess they could sign them to play third, but they've got the young kid, Keith there to play third base, and they've got some McKinstreet others that can do it.

And so, and I think Atlanta, they need a shortstop, but I don't, Alex Anthopoulos in Atlanta has not been the big spender. He's not spent the most money in free agency. They've not done it at all since he's been there. So I don't know that he's completely, and I think they'd rather have Hassan Kim at a lesser price point. So the Red Sox, if they don't get Bregman, but I think they might get Bregman. So I don't know. I think the Bichette market, I think the Jays can

stay in it and compete, but you'll lose Tucker if you wait for Bichette. What about losing them both, Steve? I'm sure Bo Bichette's not exactly jacked up hearing these Tucker rumors, and you see Nailer going to the Mariners right away, and he's probably thinking, why isn't the same thing happening with myself? Is there

a chance that Jays get screwed here and they end up with nothing, just the way these things play out. Yeah, it's possible. You know, I think that, I mean, Bregman was a guy that could be an answer at third base as well. I mean, the one good thing about the Jays, they could add a second baseman, and it works because you can move the pieces around, and Jimenez can play shortstop, and you can add

the second baseman. They could add the shortstop in Bichette and move everybody around and leave them short for now if they want to. If that's a big deal to them, you can make the deal for a few years and do it. Atlanta has shortstop available for a couple of years. to Ozzy Albi's moves. If the Jays need to sign a third basin, okay, Clement goes over to second base.

It works. If they can sign an outfielder, it works. So they can pivot in a lot of different ways. You know, it could end up being A. Eugenio-Svarez, if they don't get any of the guys they want. A. E. O'Henner-Swres at 48-49 home runs last year. He's streaky, but he's got legit power. And so there's a place to really keep this team very strong,

even if they don't get Tucker or Bichette. with Steve Phillips, or baseball insider, and, you know, based on reports, naturally, the Jays are connected in all types of different areas, like a lot of elite teams are right now. But the history of this front office would tell you, when in doubt, look to starting pitching. Like, that is what they have invested in. That was the first thing, like the big splash they made, Hujin Ryu. They're like, give them 80 million, bring them in. They've signed guys like Gosman. They took the flyer on Shurzer, it obviously popped and worked for them.

they have spent money and allocated money to the rotation first and foremost flaty notwithstanding with that in mind i i get the impression like that's kind of where their instincts go steve um i don't know if you see it that way but if so you know how deep is this starting rotation market and what do you think that attack plant could look like yeah so i think that that clearly they know that if they don't have a shot they need to supplement the offense i think that over the last couple of years, run production. They recognized that that was an issue. And Bichette coming back and being productive was very important to how good they were this year.

But to your point, I think that they understand pitching is important. Losing Scherzer and Bassett are, you know, older guys, veteran guys, pitching at an older age. But I think the other thing they have to consider now, that Yosevich is a guy that you can count on, I think, to be a, you know, I wouldn't say number one starter right now, just for next year. I'd say I'd want to hedge my bet, call him a number two, behind Gossman just to protect the kid as he grows.

But I think that they have to remember that after 26, Gossman is a free agent, Lauer is a free agent, Berrios has an opt-out. And so the notion of, for me, looking at an impact starter that you can sign with some controllability for a four-year deal or a five-year deal or a six-year deal makes a lot of sense because you don't want to be left after the 26th season bare. have there be a work stoppage, and then at some point there will be 250 free agents because nobody will have signed, and then you're going to have to go out there and try to snatch everyone to try to rebuild the rotation for the 27th season.

You don't want to do that. And so I think signing somebody to a multi-year deal in the rotation makes a ton of sense. Yeah, I'm with you on that. I mean, Beaver will be likely done after this year, too. Free after this year, too, right. Like, the Burrios one is sneaky for me, Steve. Like, I saw him there against the Yankees series. I saw him, you know, around the clubhouse.

I think it was after game one or game two. But he left the team at some point during the run. And I'm not convinced that relationship is in the greatest position ever. So I don't know what happens with him going into next season. You know, like that's a guy. He's a reliable arm, but I don't know if that's going to work out for either party. You mean he wasn't anywhere around for, like, not even? counts by the end he wasn't even around so wow that's a spicy one you know in terms of what could

happen there with burrios and i'll tell you you know he is he is he is guys he he is such a good guy he is such a good dude like he is as good a guy a spiritual guy that he's been hurt obviously the elbow was what flared up on him he won't opt out after next year he's got two years at $48 million, you know, two at 24 each year. He's not going to walk away from $48 million guaranteed. I don't care how well he pitches next year. I can't imagine it'll be well

enough to say, you know what, I'm going to do better than $48 million for two years. So I suspect he's going to be there. Now, you know, if he proves he's healthy, then maybe they could consider a trade if that works for him and for them at some point. But I think that if he's healthy, he's going to be part of that rotation.

The question is how healthy is he? Steve, it's a great primer. We can't wait to see what happens here the rest of the way. There's going to be activity, and when that happens, we'll sulk her back, and we'll catch up with you again. Great seeing you, buddy. Thank you for doing this. It's my pleasure, guys.

Good to see you, too. There you, Steve Phillips, our TSN Baseball Insider. It's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas with IHeart the holidays. Non-stop Christmas music 24-7. All your festive favorites. What a beautiful night. Unwrap the magic of the season. One song at a time.

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