Shortstop Bo Bichette avoided arbitration on Tuesday night, agreeing to a three-year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Bichette, who had an arbitration hearing scheduled for later this week, is on track to be a free agent after the 2025 season.
Bichette, 24, hit .290 for Toronto last season, finishing with 24 home runs and 93 RBIs as the Blue Jays advanced to the American League postseason.
He was moved around the lineup as the Blue Jays tried several different combinations to spark their offense in the summer, but by the time the playoffs rolled around, he had settled into the No. 2 position. He hit .250 with a double in Toronto's two-game loss to the Seattle Mariners.
The infielder was seeking $7.5 million this season, and the Blue Jays filed at $5 million.
Bichette, the son of former MLB slugger Dante Bichette, is one of the confident leaders of the Blue Jays, unafraid to be bold at the plate or on the base paths. But he led the American League in hits the past two seasons and is part of a star-laden core that has major plans in Toronto.
"He's always been the guy that kind of [lets] his play do the talking," Blue Jays manager John Schneider said last season. "But now he's really coming into his own, leading not just by example."
In four MLB seasons, all with Toronto, Bichette has 69 home runs and 239 RBIs.
"I've known Bo for a long time, and the one thing that's stayed the same with him is how bad he wants to be great," said Toronto infielder Cavan Biggio who, like Bichette, is the son of a former big leaguer, Hall of Famer Craig Biggio. "How bad he wants to win. That mindset has made him the person and leader that he is today."