Mets' Biggest Offseason Signing Given 'F' Re-Grade Amid Offensive Down Year

Heading into the 2026 season, the baseball world agreed that the New York Mets had one of the best offseasons in the MLB. Now two months into the campaign, people are no longer as high on New York’s moves as they once were.

The headlining piece of free agency for the Mets was the surprise signing of shortstop Bo Bichette. After missing out on the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes, the Mets came out of nowhere to snag Bichette despite an already crowded infield.

The plan was to move the two-time All-Star to third base while Francisco Lindor stays at shortstop and the newly acquired Marcus Semien mans second base. It was a bold move for the Mets to give Bichette a three-year deal for $126 million, especially considering his known defensive issues with the plan of putting him in an entirely unfamiliar defensive spot.

What New York was undoubtedly getting, however, was a proven bat – one that had just helped lead the Toronto Blue Jays to the World Series just a few months prior. Aside from his shortened 2024 season, Bichette had recorded an OPS+ above 120 in every one of his major league seasons.

In very Mets fashion, however, things have gone south for Bichette in a Mets uniform. Splitting time at third base and shortstop after Lindor’s injury, Bichette ranks in just the third percentile in batting run value.

The 28-year-old has a slash line of .227/.274/.323 with a woeful .597 OPS. He is leading the Mets in hits, but it’s not saying much for a 22-32 team that has dealt with injuries to stars like Lindor and Juan Soto.

Though his defense surprisingly hasn't been horrible, managing a placement in the 85th percentile for outs above average, Bichette’s start as a Met has been horribly disappointing.

For this, it’s no surprise that Bleacher Report gave the Mets-Bichette deal an ‘F ' grade in a recent article in which writer Kerry Miller regraded the biggest signings of the offseason.

It’s not all bad, though. Bichette has been finding more success as of late, raising his OPS to .648 over his last 14 days and even to .890 over his last seven. His shifting momentum was on display in Monday’s 7-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds, where Bichette knocked three hits in four at-bats.

New York will be counting on Bichette to continue heating up as we enter the summer months if they want any chance at making something out of the horrible start to the season they’ve undergone.

If worst comes to worst, Bichette’s deal does include an opt-out after this season as well as the 2027 season. The Mets and Bichette can bite the bullet and part ways after the year if the fit continues not to be a match, but for now, the signing has been one of the worst of last winter’s free agency.