Mets Secure Bo Bichette with a Million-Dollar Contract
In a bold move after failing to secure the signing of Kyle Tucker, the New York Mets have reached an agreement with the talented infielder Bo Bichette. The contract, which extends for three years, amounts to an impressive $126 million, according to sources close to the team. The agreement, which is subject to a physical examination, includes termination clauses for the player after the first two seasons. In addition, the contract does not include any deferred sum, which establishes an average annual value of 42 million dollars. With this investment, the Mets exceed the upper limit of the competitive balance tax, set at 304 million dollars, with a projected payroll of 345.7 million dollars. The incorporation of Bichette will also have a cost for the Mets, who were competitive tax contributors last season. This implies the loss of their highest draft picks in rounds two and five of the 2026 draft, as well as a penalty of 1 million dollars from their international bonus pool. This is because the Toronto Blue Jays had offered Bichette a qualifying offer of 22.025 million dollars, which the player declined. The agreement with Bichette, one of the most sought-after free agents on the market, was finalized approximately 12 hours after Tucker chose to sign a four-year, $240 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Mets outmaneuvered the competition, led by their National League East rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies, securing Bichette with a short-term contract that could turn into a one-year partnership. The pressure was on owner Steve Cohen and president of baseball operations David Stearns to add top-tier talent to a roster that suddenly found itself without key figures. The search for top-tier talent, regardless of position, was the engine that drove the Mets in their attempt to sign both Tucker and Bichette.Even though Stearns has focused on the Mets’ need to improve their “run prevention”, in modern baseball jargon encompassing pitching and defense, Tucker was rated as a below-average defender last season. Had he signed with New York, he would have moved to left field, a position he hasn’t occupied since 2020.
Bichette, for his part, was one of the worst shortstops in baseball last season. He is expected to play third base in New York, a position he has never held at the professional level, on the other side of the diamond from Jorge Polanco, who signed in December to play first base for the first time in his career. Ultimately, the Mets pursued both Tucker and Bichette for their offensive skills. Bichette, who turns 28 in March, is an offensive force when healthy, with a contact ability that produced a .294/.337/.469 line in his seven seasons as the Blue Jays’ shortstop. He has hit .290 or more in six of those seasons, led the American League in hits twice, and has been named an All-Star twice. Last season, he recovered from a disastrous 2024 campaign, plagued by injuries, to bat .311 with 18 home runs and an OPS of .840 in 139 games, as Toronto went from last to first in the American League East. He returned from an ankle injury at the end of the season to bat .348 with an OPS of .923 in the World Series, playing second base for the first time in his major league career, and hit a three-run homer against Shohei Ohtani in Game 7. With the Mets, Bichette is expected to bat third, behind Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto, which will give Soto the elite batting protection he lost with Alonso’s departure. Brett Baty, who was expected to be the starting third baseman, could move to a utility role that includes appearances in the outfield if not used in a trade to address the Mets’ need for an outfielder or starting pitcher. Baty, 26, enjoyed a strong second half of the season in 2025, batting .291 with an OPS of .829 in 55 games after the All-Star break as the Mets’ primary third baseman. He has only played one inning in the outfield in his major league career. Mark Vientos, Ronny Mauricio, and Luisangel Acuña are also young infielders on the Mets’ roster who could contribute in part-time roles if they are not traded.The Athletic was the first outlet to report on the Mets’ agreement with Bichette.
