The Philadelphia Phillies were seen as the favorite to sign Bo Bichette in MLB free agency in recent weeks. Everything changed on Friday morning, however, as the New York Mets and Bichette agreed to a $126 million contract for three years. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Phillies agreed to Bichette's contract request on Thursday and believed they were on track to sign him.
“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 move may save the Mets in the National League East. Philadelphia already features a talented roster, and bringing in Bichette would have only pushed them further ahead. Now, while the Phillies will likely remain the favorite, the idea of the Mets contending in the division does not seem too unrealistic.
The Atlanta Braves are also a team to monitor. Atlanta has had a respectable offseason. The three ball clubs will fight for the division title in 2026.
If Bo Bichette would have ended up in Philadelphia, the Phillies would have found themselves on track to run away with the division. Cody Bellinger remains available in free agency, so perhaps the Phillies could pivot to pursuing him.
Philadelphia still has moves to make in the offseason. Nick Castellanos is a player they are rumored to be interested in trading. A JT Realmuto reunion could be a possibility.
Regardless, they still have a talented team, but missing out on Bichette is not ideal.
