BREAKING: Mets, Bo Bichette agree to a three-year, $126 million contract
The Mets immediately pivot to an infielder to help bolster their lineup from the right side
The Mets quickly pivoted to their Plan B following their loss to the Dodgers in the Kyle Tucker derby on Thursday night, signing free agent INF Bo Bichette to a three-year, $126 million contract, according to The Athletic.
The deal includes opt-outs after each of the first two seasons and a full no-trade clause. No money is being deferred in the deal.
Bichette, who will turn 28 on March 5, appeared in 139 games for the AL-Champion Blue Jays in 2025, hitting .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs, 94 RBI, and 134 wRC+ while posting 3.8 bWAR. He was sidelined in September and into the playoffs with a knee injury and ended up playing second base for Toronto when he was finally activated against the Dodgers.
Bichette, who is a career shortstop, is expected to play third base for the Mets. He is an offense-first player, having posted -12 defensive runs saved and -13 outs above average for Toronto while at shortstop in 2025. He also posted a -10 fielding run value.
Despite his defensive struggles and Bichette needing to make vast improvements at a foreign position to improve the club’s defense overall, Bichette is a contact-first hitter with elite power and an elite strikeout rate. He offers the Mets right-handed balance in their lineup for 2026 and right-handed power they badly needed, arguably over either Tucker or Cody Bellinger. He is also known for his strong clubhouse presence, something the Mets have clearly endeavored to improve following their disappointing 2025 season. His 4.0 fWAR projection brings the Mets overall projection to 47.4 fWAR, second only to the Dodgers in MLB for 2026.
As for what this means for Brett Baty, for now, he is expected to play multiple positions for the Mets in 2026 and serve in a utility role, including possibly both first base and left field. Given the opt-outs in Bichette’s deal, it would probably be wiser for the Mets to retain Baty rather than look to deal him this winter, and look to possibly move Mark Vientos in a deal for another need.
Even so, the Mets call to improve their defense comes into question with Bichette, an offense-first career shortstop, who will play third base. In addition, they signed Jorge Polanco— a career middle infielder— to play first base. And, it would seem Baty, a career third baseman, is destined to play first and other positions too.
Bichette was made a qualifying offer by the Blue Jays after the World Series. As such, the Mets will have to relinquish $1 million in their international free agent pool money for 2027 as well as their second and fifth-highest selections in the 2026 draft.
It’s unclear if the Mets will turn their attention to filling the void left by Brandon Nimmo in their outfield, or if they’ll turn their attention to the starting rotation, or both. The Mets have yet to touch their starting rotation this winter, and David Stearns said at the beginning of the off-season that they expect to be in play for help in their rotation ahead of the 2026 season. They have been linked at times to LHP Framber Valdez’s free agency, although after signing Bichette and having to absorb the penalties associated with his qualifying offer, on top of the likelihood that Valdez will be in for at least five years in his next contract, it would seem more probable that the Mets will explore a trade to upgrade their rotation. They have been linked to a possible trade for Freddy Peralta, and there’s always a chance that the Tigers decide to move Tarik Skubal before Spring Training.