The Toronto Blue Jays made MLB headlines on Wednesday, when they signed Dylan Cease to a seven-year deal worth $210 million according to the Canadian Press. The signing of a pitcher in Toronto was expected with the fact that Chris Bassitt is not expected to return next season.
Anyway you look at it, if the Blue Jays have any intention whatsoever of not only returning to the 2026 World Series, but winning it, they need the return of shortstop Bo Bichette of Orlando, Florida. Bichette brings stability to the Blue Jays lineup after exceeding expectations as a group during the 2025 Major League Baseball season. Last season, Bichette led the Blue Jays in hits (181), doubles (44), runs batted in (94), batting average (.311), and total bases (281). The fact that Bichette led the Blue Jays in these five notable statistical categories is significant when he missed a significant portion of the final month of the regular season with a knee injury from sliding into New York Yankees catcher Auston Wells on September 6.
There may be those who believe that the Blue Jays may not need to sign Bichette because within the postseason, they got to the World Series without him. Those people simply do not know baseball. Bichette is a major reason why the Blue Jays got to the postaseason in the first place.
With the signing of Cease, there is a belief that Bichette is soon on his way out. Teams rumoured to sign Bichette are the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves. The Braves connection is interesting when you consider former Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos is the Atlanta GM.
