The Chicago Cubs failed to sign Japanese starting pitcher Tatsuya Imai and now you have to imagine the front office is scrambling to upgrade their rotation. Yes, there are several free agent pitchers remaining, but it's got to sting to lose out on their second big target of the offseason after also falling short on Dylan Cease. Yet, while pitching has been the main focus this winter things could be shifting in the front office and Bo Bichette may possibly be the biggest free agent signing for the Cubs.
If you look at the rest of the top free agent starters left there's Ranger Suarez and Framber Valdez, but there hasn't been much talk lately about the Cubs targeting either lefty in free agency. Who knows though, the Houston Astros were nonexistence in the Imai rumors and they ended up signing the Japanese pitcher.
Zac Gallen remains unsigned and we all remember Bob Nightengale's premature reporting in early December, when he originally said the Cubs and the former Arizona Diamondbacks ace had agreed on a contract. The Cubs have had interest in Gallen, so maybe they do end up getting something done with the right-hander.
However, if the Cubs don't think Gallen is worth as much as $20+ million a year and instead look toward the trade market for a controllable starter, then the payroll remains will below the luxury tax threshold and Bichette becomes much more attainable. At least you'd like to think so for a team that finally ended its playoff drought in 2025, but needs upgrades on offense.
The latest Bichette rumors come from Jon Heyman, who connected the free agent shortstop to some pretty big teams. Bichette reportedly told teams earlier in the offseason that he would be willing to move off shortstop and play second base. Heyman wrote on Thursday that, "three previously unreported teams have checked on superstar Bo Bichette: Yankees, Dodgers and Cubs."
Every time Bichette is brought up in rumors or Alex Bregman for that matter, some fans immediately retort what happens to the rest of the infield? Dansby Swanson isn't moving off shortstop, Nico Hoerner has been fantastic at second base, while Matt Shaw showed encouraging progress following the All-Star break.
However, there is the scenario in which the Cubs trade Hoerner, who has one year left on his extension with the team before he becomes a free agent following the 2026 season. Heyman reported earlier this week that although the Cubs may not be trying to trade away Hoerner, they have been taking calls from interested clubs who want Hoerner badly.
Bichette could theoretically slide into second base if the Cubs do trade away Hoerner and if they do they'd get a 27-year-old middle infielder, still in his prime that's coming off the best full-season of his MLB career. The defense may be lacking and certainly isn't comparable to Hoerner, but the bat might just make up the gap.
The key is if the Cubs actually want to commit to a long-term contract. This front office did it for Swanson, who was an imperfect free agent because of his bat, and this time around it could be Bichette.
(Previous Update)
Dating back to the 2022-23 offseason, there have been loose connections between the Chicago Cubs and shortstop Bo Bichette, but nothing serious ever come of those whispers. Now, Bichette is a free agent and there's some more noise and maybe a delusional fan (myself) trying to connect dots that may or may not exist. Still, because there have been previous mentions, this note from MLB Network's Jon Morosi caught my eye on Tuesday.
The Cubs have Dansby Swanson locked up for several more years at shortstop, so the Cubs would have to do some maneuvering in the infield to make it work with Bichette, but if they love his bat then they can make it work. Nico Hoerner is a free agent after 2026, which could leave the door open for either Matt Shaw or Bichette?
We saw Bichette return from injury in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers and he played second base. Now, the 28-year-old is receiving interest from teams outside of his regular shortstop position.
I mean, that description from Morosi could very likely include the Cubs, who have Swanson, but could certainly welcome Bichette's bat in the lineup.
It's still very early in free agency, but maybe this is a storyline that progresses. There hasn't been a concrete connection this year between the Cubs and Bichette, but we'll see as the offseason inches forward.
Cubs Bo Bichette Rumors
The only reason I'm giving this any extra thought is because there have been rumblings in the past that the Chicago Cubs were interested in Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette. The 27-year-old is headed to free agency once the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers concludes and in a recent top-50 free agents list released by The Athletic's Jim Bowden, the Cubs are listed as one of the best fits for Bichette.
I still don't buy the connection too much, but the prospect of going after Bichette sure is intriguing. We're talking about a guy who has hit every year in his career and the one outlier was in 2024, when Bichette only played in 81 games, missing half the season because of a calf strain and then broken finger.
In 2025, Bichette returned to action and posted a 134 wRC+, a career-best with the Blue Jays. The right-handed hitter had a slash line of .311/.357/.483, with 18 home runs in 138 games. He did miss the last three weeks of the regular season after suffering a left knee sprain and wasn't available until Game 1 of the World Series on Oct. 24.
Despite the late-season injury, Bichette restored his value with a great season at the plate and proved that 2024 was a fluke. His bat has been pretty damn otherwise since breaking into the big leagues back in 2019.
Bo Bichette year-by-year stats
2019: .311/.358/.571, 143 wRC+ (46 games)
2020: .301/.328/.512, 120 wRC+ (29 games)
2021: .298/.343/.484, 122 wRC+ (159 games)
2022: .290/.333/.469, 129 wRC+ (159 games)
2023: .306/.339/.475, 124 wRC+ (135 games)
2024: .225/.277/.322, 70 wRC+ (81 games)
2025: .311/.357/.483, 134 wRC+ (139 games)
His career high in home runs in a single season is 29, back in 2021, but now Bichette has settled into the 20-25 home run range per season. The infielder also swiped 25 bases in 2021, but stealing bases isn't really part of his game anymore as Bichette has 14 total steals in the past three years.
You're getting a quality bat from Bichette with some pop, high average and lots of contact. But here's the part I struggle with in seeing how he could be a fit with the Cubs. For starters, the Cubs have Dansby Swanson at shortstop and he's under contract for four more years. Swanson also has a full no-trade clause. Regardless of Swanson's presence on the roster, it's not like you really want Bichette playing shortstop.
Bichette has been one of the worst defensive shortstops in MLB and while his offense was great in 2025, the defense resulted in Bichette recording -12 defensive runs saved, last among all shortstops. His defense also graded out terribly in outs above average as Bichette had -13 OAA, also last among MLB shortstops.
Bichette ranks 38th out of 41 shortstops with -33 OAA since the 2019 season.
If the Cubs do pursue Bichette this offseason, then they'll 100% move him to third base. Yet, I have a hard time seeing the front office and coaching staff making that drastic of a change to their philosophy. We've seen how they've built the roster the past few years as the Cubs have jumped back into their competitive window. There's been a priority on defense and while Matt Shaw's rookie season didn't exactly jump off the page even with his second-half success, his defense was incredible.
Nico Hoerner has been an elite defender for several years at second base, where Bichette has been moved to by the Blue Jays in his return to the lineup during the World Series. I guess that could be a future opening as Hoerner is only signed through the 2026 season. But again, who knows how Bichette would perform at second base or third?
The biggest reason I just can't see the Cubs making an actual effort to sign Bichette is that he most likely will get paid as a shortstop this offseason. That means more money than the typical third baseman or second baseman, where he would slot in for the Cubs.
Bowden predicted a seven-year, $189 million contract for Bichette in free agency.
It's definitely intriguing. I mean, stick Bichette at third base and trade Shaw for an ace this offseason? Maybe? I wouldn't lose sleep over this possibility, but the previous rumors surrounding Bichette and the Cubs at least gives you something to think about as we get closer to free agency.
