Bichette's Option Decision Comes With Lots Of Angles

The New York Mets don’t know if they’re going to be getting infielder Bo Bichette back, and Bichette doesn’t know if he wants to be back. It’s an uncertain situation that comes with plenty of angles and sides, as Will Sammon of The Athletic noted in his writeup about it. 

Bichette has an option clause that’s worth $42 million, per Sammon, and he receiver a $5 million bonus if he opts out. He has a similar bonus for 2028, and for this year’s choice he has until five days after the World Series to make his decision. 

It’s not what Bichette was expecting to do, but he was a small part of the problem, too. He was expecting to be playing in the postseason, or at least competing to do that, but The infielder’s massive early slump helped put the Mets in a deep hole, although he has returned to form over the course of the season. 

Meanwhile, the Mets have turned things around to some extent. They’ve gone 22-13 since the deadline, and their

“I’m having a great time here; I’m enjoying my teammates, and I think that the future here is bright,” Bichette said on Saturday. “The team is building something good. There’s a winning atmosphere with veterans who are really great players and young players who are showing they can be winning players on a good team. So that’s exciting for me. But I’m focused on finishing the season strong, and I’ll make that decision when it comes.” 

But there are other factors involved. Bichette could become the best position player on the market if he opts out, accordingto Sammon, and the early projections have him getting a five-year deal for something in the neighborhood of $135 million. 

That’s more security than he has now, but there’s also the lockout to consider. The free agent market may be a slower to develop if the labor uncertainty extends well into next season, so it’s not hard to imagine a scenario where some players like Bichette get left high and dry. 

Finally, there’s the issue of fit. Bichette developed into an adequate third baseman, but he cost the Mets some games early as he learned the position. The Mets may ask him to go back to second base, which may or many not be something he wants to do. There are a lot of tough decisions to make, but for the moment Bichette holds all the cards.