The New York Mets swooped in last minute to steal infielder Bo Bichette from the Philadelphia Phillies.
The New York Mets were forced to pivot to infielder Bo Bichette after outfielder Kyle Tucker landed a massive four-year, $240 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Being forced to pivot isn’t always a bad thing. Bichette is one of the most talented hitters in Major League Baseball and was on an absolute tear this season after an injury-riddled 2024. The Mets signed Bichette to a three-year, $126 million contract that includes opt-outs after the first and second seasons as well as a no-trade clause.
He’s not great defensively, which goes against what President of Baseball Operations David Stearns has set out to accomplish this season (improve defensively), but Stearns added a game-changing bat to his lineup that will deeply miss the impactful bat of star slugger Pete Alonso.
Bichette played 139 games for the Toronto Blue Jays last season and had one of his best years to date. He had a slash line of .311/.357/.483 and hit 18 home runs with 94 RBI. Bichette had the second-most hits in MLB (181) and set a career-high with 44 doubles.
The two-time All-Star will be a nice addition to New York’s lineup, and he can hit anywhere in the order, but will most likely protect star outfielder Juan Soto at the top.
Reports came out that the Philadelphia Phillies were in position to land Bichette on a seven-year, $200 million contract but the Mets swooped in at the last minute and offered Bichette a short-term, high average annual value deal with opt-outs to secure the 27-year-old’s services.
Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski spoke about the reality of missing out on Bichette and him going to a hated division rival.
“It's a gut punch,” Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said Tuesday. “You feel it. That day you are very upset, I guess is the way to say it. You have to pick yourself up and shake it off. You can't just wallow in what took place.”
The Phillies’ lineup with Bichette would have been one of the most dangerous and nastiest in the league, and the Mets’ chances of winning the division this year would have drastically plummeted. Now, Bichette adds an element to the Mets that didn’t exist before and his decision to sign with the Mets should create some additional fire in these divisional games.
Dombrowski said he never thought the deal was done, but he did believe the franchise was close to signing him and that the Phillies were matching the numbers that the Bichette party was asking for.
Bichette can play his cards like new Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman did: play well enough to opt out of the short-term deal after one season and land a bigger one.
Or he can stay with the Mets until the contract expires, and still land a nice contract given his age.