The New York Mets have agreed to a three-year, $126 million contract with infielder Bo Bichette, Jeff Passan of ESPN reporters. New York was linked to Kyle Tucker before he agreed to a $240 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday. The Mets clearly shifted their focus and brought in the former Toronto Blue Jays star shortstop.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic later reported Bichette's contract does not feature any deferrals. It does offer opt-outs after years one and two, however.
Surprisingly, Bichette is expected to play third base, per Rosenthal. A shortstop in Toronto, a rumor surfaced during the offseason that suggested he was willing to move to second base. Third base was not mentioned as a potential landing destination for him, yet the 27-year-old will assume hot corner duties with his new ball club.
Bob Nightengale dropped a shocking report after the Bichette-Mets contract news. According to Nightengale, The Philadelphia Phillies believed they were signing Bichette before the Mets came in with their short-term, high AAV offer.
“The Phillies had agreed to Bo Bichette’s request for a 7-year, $200 million deal last night and believed they would sign him until the Mets swooped in with their 3-year, $126 million offer after losing out in in the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes,” Nightengale wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
The Phillies had been consistently linked to Bo Bichette in recent weeks. They were even seemingly seen as the favorite. The Mets clearly wanted to sign the infielder — and avoid having him land with their National League East rival — so they went all on on a short-term deal.
