Why the Toronto Blue Jays let Bo Bichette walk without a bigger offer

Friday's news was simple and brutal: Bichette agreed to a three-year, $126 million deal with New York, with opt-outs built in. Toronto never matched that kind of annual punch.

The first clue was sitting there for weeks. The Blue Jays gave Bichette the $22.025 million qualifying offer, he declined it, and the relationship moved straight into true free agency.

From the club's perspective, this was not about whether Bichette can hit. In 2025 he slashed .311/.357/.483 with an .840 OPS, plus 18 homers and 94 RBIs, that is star-level production.

Toronto's infield plan has also been quietly shifting for a while. The club traded for Andrés Giménez in December 2024, and his glove-first profile makes it easier to dream on a different defensive alignment long term.

Then there is the money pressure, which is real even for a big-market team. FanGraphs lists the 2026 luxury tax thresholds at $244M, $264M, $284M, and $304M, and Toronto is already operating in that neighborhood.

Once you believe you are paying surcharge dollars, every big deal has to be close to perfect. Bichette is entering his age-28 season, but he also finished 2025 on the injured list with a knee sprain, and that kind of recent durability question changes negotiations fast.

That is why the Mets fit him, and why Toronto blinked. New York can stomach the short, high-AAV bet, then pivot again if an opt-out hits, while the Jays seem determined to keep flexibility around the rest of the core.

I do not love it, but I understand the logic. Now the next milestone is what Toronto does with the roster spot and the fan trust they just spent.

There is also the fact that there were rumors that Bichette was looking for a deal close to $300 million from the Blue Jays which seems like it was too high for them.

The Blue Jays and Bichette had some great years together including the magically 2025 season but it looks like they will both move on in their own direction with fans continuing to cheer him on even if he is on a different team now.