I've been asking for weeks if the Toronto Blue Jays really want Bo Bichette back this offseason. I'm not sure they do. I think maybe they'd rather sign Kyle Tucker and let Addison Barger play third with Ernie Clement at second.

That said, if the Blue Jays do actually want him back, they are in a very, very dicey situation.

We already knew that Bichette had interest from the Philadelphia Phillies, and that the two sides have a meeting on Monday. Then we learned that the New York Yankees are talking about Bichette. And when the Chicago Cubs signed Alex Bregman on Saturday night? That makes the Boston Red Sox more desperate, and they are expected to lean heavily into Bichette's market.

So now Bichette has multiple suitors and a whole lot of leverage. If Toronto wants him back, then they are going to really have to work for it, in terms of years and dollars, as well just general sales pitch-ing.

Bichette has spent seven years with the Blue Jays after being drafted and developed by the organization. He and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. are the type of homegrown players that organizations covet and dream about, and to see that tandem break up would be an incredibly difficult outcome.

Especially when it really seemed like the two sides wanted each other back after the Toronto run to the World Series.

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It's one thing if Bichette signs with the Phillies, who are in the National League, but it's another if he stays in the American League East and forces the Blue Jays to play him 13 times a season. Not only would he have several direct chances to beat the Jays, but it would be several reminders a year of the organization's failure in keeping him around.

If they do really want to get back into the mix, they can, but they'll have to do some serious talking with their wallets. If they don't, they should turn their attention to Tucker and go about creating the best lineup in the American League. If they were to sign him, he would play right field with Daulton Varsho in center and Anthony Santander/George Springer in left (most likely). Kazuma Okamoto, recently signed out of Japan, would fall into a super-utility position, something we've already heard Toronto prefers.

Opening Day is March 26.

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