Yankees Eye Bo Bichette as Volpe's Shoulder Surgery Shakes Up Offseason Plans
The Yankees’ offseason just got a lot more complicated-and a lot more urgent. Anthony Volpe, the team’s starting shortstop and one of their brightest young stars, underwent shoulder surgery in October to repair a partially torn labrum. It’s an injury he’d been playing through since May, and while the timeline suggests he could return by April or May, the Yankees are treating this like more than just a temporary setback.
When your everyday shortstop is sidelined for the start of the season-and possibly not at full strength even when he returns-you don’t just patch the hole. You consider a full remodel. And that’s exactly what the Yankees are doing.
According to multiple insiders, including reports from Dec. 1, New York has set its sights high.
The name generating the most buzz? Bo Bichette.
The Blue Jays star is coming off a monster 2025 campaign, leading the league in both hits and doubles, and he checks every box the Yankees are looking for: production, pedigree, and long-term upside.
But they’re not alone in the chase. The Dodgers are reportedly in the mix as well, making this a potential heavyweight bidding war between two of baseball’s biggest markets.
And the Yankees aren’t stopping at Bichette. Ha-Seong Kim, who just opted out of his deal, is also on their radar.
Kim brings elite defense and positional versatility-exactly the kind of glue guy that championship rosters are built around. Then there’s Corey Seager, the ultimate swing-for-the-fences option.
He’s elite, expensive, and risky, but when the Yankees are in win-now mode, nothing’s off the table.
In the short term, José Caballero is penciled in as the stopgap. But let’s be honest-that’s not the move you make if you're trying to win the AL East. That’s the move you make while you’re waiting for the blockbuster to drop.
The urgency is real, and so is the pressure. New York is coming off a season that didn’t meet expectations, and with 2026 looming, they can’t afford to start slow.
The front office knows that. The fans know that.
And if the early offseason buzz is any indication, the Yankees are gearing up for something big.
Meanwhile, up in Toronto, the Blue Jays are navigating their own version of this high-stakes chess match. Bichette’s contract situation is front and center.
Projections have him in the ballpark of eight years and $200 million-a hefty number for a team that already has six players on nine-figure deals. The Jays want him back.
That much is clear. But they also can’t match every offer that comes across the table, especially if a team like New York decides to go all-in.
Toronto’s recent signing of Rodolfo Castro to a minor-league deal with a Spring Training invite might seem like a small move on the surface, but there’s more to it. Castro hit 19 homers at Triple-A last season and is showing off more pop in the Dominican Winter League.
It’s a depth play, yes-but it’s also a signal. The Blue Jays are preparing for every scenario, including a future without Bo Bichette.
So here we are. The Yankees are hunting for a shortstop.
The Blue Jays are trying to hold on to one. And Bo Bichette is suddenly the most important name in the American League’s offseason storyline.
Buckle up-this one’s just getting started.