The New York Yankees should steer clear of this player in MLB free agency.

Even though the New York Yankees may not be the same big spenders they once were under George Steinbrenner, they are still typically in the market for most big-name players in free agency.

As a result, the Yankees are always connected to many of the top players available, and it's why some are already linking them to Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette.

Bichette is slated to hit the open market this winter, and with the Blue Jays having already inked Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a 14-year, $500 million contract extension, it seems relatively unlikely that they will spend the money necessary to retain Bichette.

That's not to say Toronto absolutely won't re-sign the two-time All-Star; it just means that Bichette will probably get more dollars elsewhere.

The Yankees were recently named a potential destination for Bichette by MLB.com, and while Bichette's bat is certainly tantalizing, signing him would end up being an expensive mistake for the Bronx Bombers.

Why? Because one of New York's biggest problems in recent years has been its shoddy defense, and Bichette certainly wouldn't help solve that issue. In fact, he would make it worse, as evidenced by his minus-12 DRS and minus-13 OAA this season.

Bichette is widely viewed as one of the worst defensive players in baseball, so even though he brings a career .294/.337/.469 slash line to the table, his poor glove should make him a nonstarter for the Yanks in free agency.

Yes, everyone is beyond frustrated with Anthony Volpe right now, but spending big bucks on Bichette would not make things better. Plus, Volpe probably deserves another chance in 2026 seeing as how he has been playing through a bum shoulder for most of this year.

Bichette is going to get a lucrative contract from somebody. His regular season is now over thanks to a knee sprain, but during his time on the field in 2025, he slashed .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs and 94 RBI. He also leads the league with 181 hits and 44 doubles.

Offensively, there is no doubting the 27-year-old, and it's looking more and more like his nightmarish 2024 campaign was an outlier. But for as much as the Yankees would love to add another bat, they shouldn't do so at the expense of their defense.

New York would be far better off spending its money elsewhere this offseason.