Less than a day after Kyle Tucker signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Bo Bichette became the next big domino to fall. The right-handed infielder was one of the best bats available this free agent cycle and was pursued by multiple clubs.
Bichette excelled in his contract year, delivering an impressive 2025 regular season and an even better postseason with the Toronto Blue Jays. He had a .311/.357/.483 slash line in 139 regular season games and even posted a career-high 134 wRC+ that ranked 20th among all Major Leaguers.
There was an overwhelming belief Bichette would land with the Philadelphia Phillies, and there was some optimism from both sides that a deal would get done.
But instead, Bichette is joining the New York Mets on a three-year, $126 million contract, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post:
Breaking: Bo Bichette to Mets. $126M, 3 years
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 16, 2026
Bichette’s deal also includes two opt-outs, similar to the deal Tucker signed with the Dodgers, according to Heyman.
In addition to the Phillies and Mets, the Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, and Blue Jays were the other teams that have been connected to Bichette. The Dodgers, however, prioritized Tucker and landed him on a massive, four-year deal worth $240 million with a $60 million average annual value.
The Blue Jays have been aggressive in free agency this winter, signing the likes of Dylan Cease, Okamoto, Cody Ponce and Tyler Rogers. They decided to prioritize signing Tucker, allocating resources that could’ve gone toward signing Bichette. Now, Toronto missed out on both of the top bats available.
The Mets plan to play Bichette at third base with both Francisco Lindor and Marcus Semien under contract in their middle infield. New York also signed Jorge Polanco to play first base this offseason, and they still have Mark Vientos and Brett Baty under contract at the corner infield spots.
Cody Bellinger becomes top remaining free agent
With Bichette and Tucker off the board, Cody Bellinger is likely the next player to sign a significant contract as the best player available. The New York Yankees have been the most aggressive team pursuing him, but were losing faith in their chances of signing him.
The Blue Jays could also now turn their attention to Bellinger after missing out on the top two bats.
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