The Philadelphia Phillies met virtually with free agent shortstop Bo Bichette on Monday, sources confirmed to MLB.com. The meeting, first reported by The Athletic last week, signals genuine interest from the Phillies despite significant financial hurdles. MLB Network's Jon Heyman described the discussion as going very well.
The Philadelphia Phillies' pursuit of Bo Bichette took a concrete step forward with a virtual meeting on Monday, as confirmed by two sources to MLB.com. The club has not publicly commented, but the interest is described as real, with sources indicating a potential path to a deal amid several challenges.
To secure Bichette, the Phillies must outbid competitors such as the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, and Boston Red Sox. Boston's motivation stems from its failure to re-sign Alex Bregman, who instead signed a five-year, $175 million contract with the Chicago Cubs.
Payroll constraints pose the biggest obstacle. Cot’s Contracts projects the Phillies' 2026 luxury-tax payroll at $302.1 million, just under $2 million shy of the fourth threshold at $304 million. To accommodate Bichette, the team likely needs to trade third baseman Alec Bohm, earning $10.2 million next season, and replace catcher J.T. Realmuto.
Sources note the Phillies cannot sign both Bichette and Realmuto, though situations can evolve. Realmuto, coming off a five-year, $115.5 million deal with a $23.1 million average annual value, faces offers of a significant cut—potentially $13-15 million over two or three years. Trading Bohm and letting Realmuto go could free up about $25 million, though a new catcher would still be needed.
Bichette, who turns 28 in March, could command a longer-term contract to spread costs and ease luxury-tax impacts, unlike the 32-year-old Bregman. An eight-year deal would extend through his age-36 season, aligning with the Phillies' history of long commitments: Trea Turner's 11-year, $300 million pact through age 40; Bryce Harper's 13-year, $330 million through age 38; and Aaron Nola's seven-year, $172 million through age 37.
The meeting reportedly went 'very well,' per Jon Heyman, positioning Bichette as a strong fit for the Phillies' 2026 lineup and beyond.
