After missing out on Kyle Tucker, the Mets quickly pivoted by signing Bo Bichette to a $126 million for 3-year deal for an average annual value of $42 million with opt-outs after the first and second year. A shocking deal the Mets made but one that made sense for their lineup, they were desperately lacking a right-handed bat to balance with the left-handed bats in their lineup.

Off the bat, the deal is a major overpay for a player who never finished higher than 12th in MVP and has no other accolades besides two All-Star appearances to show for himself. However, today’s game contracts hardly ever equate to production; it is merely just a bidding war between rich owners and players, a cash grab if you will.

If the Mets didn’t immediately swoop in and use the money for Tucker, then Bichette would have become a Philly as the organization agreed to his $200 million 7-year deal, but the Mets challenged that and made sure they had the last laugh.

Last season for Bo was his best full season OPS of his career by measurements of OPS+ 129 and OPS .840. In 139 games, Bo had 181 hits, 78 runs, 44 doubles, 18 home runs, 94 RBIs, and hit for a .311 average, with an on-base percentage of .357, slugged .483 nearly 50% of the time, and did this all in 139 games.

This season was a prove-it year for the shortstop as 2024 was his worst of his career, posting a heinous -0.3 WAR and a 70 OPS+; much of that was due to injury, and if we remove the fluke season, since 2019, Bichette has always accumulated at least 2.3 WAR in a full season: 2.3 in 2019, 5.9 in 2021, 3.7 in 2022, 4.8 in 2023, and 3.5 in 2025. Bichette finished second in batting average, and the Mets finally get back a player who can hit over .300 again. Out of his 7 seasons in the league, Bichette has hit over .300 in four of those seasons, his best being this season tied with 2019.

The Mets plan to have Bichette play third base, a position he has never played in his professional career, but I don’t see that as an issue. The three guys that the Mets have acquired this offseason—Semien, Polanco, and Bichette—all have been shortstops at some time in their career. To be a shortstop requires you to be one of the most versatile and strongest defensive players on your team, who not only has the range but the ability to hold down such a significant position.

To the people who are worried about Bichette starting a new position, they shouldn’t be; shortstops have an easy time converting to any position, and I believe the same for Bichette. If we match up the career numbers of runners in scoring position between the three new guys and Alonso, McNeil, and Nimmo, the three guys we have currently beat the production when it is most important to the old core. Career numbers with runners in scoring position: Bichette – .330 RISP, .310 RISP w/ 2 outs; Polanco – .306 RISP, .298 RISP w/ 2 outs; Semien – .275 RISP, .253 RISP w/ 2 outs; Alonso – .266 RISP, .223 RISP w/ 2 outs; Nimmo – .286 RISP, .258 RISP w/ 2 outs; McNeil – .286 RISP, .273 RISP w/ 2 outs. Clearly, it sucks losing these guys, but it doesn’t matter anymore; we cannot change the past.

At this point, the Mets have way too many infielders on their 40-man—Acuna, Mauricio, Lindor, Polanco, Baty, Vientos, Semien, Bichette—one of these guys will surely be dealt for an outfielder or pitcher before Bichette gets added to the roster. At some point, the Mets need to make a trade or sign starting pitching; our trade capital is incredibly vast and should be utilized to trade some of these guys for a pitcher like Freddy Peralta.

I doubt it will cost that much, but there is no way we go into the season with all these guys currently on the team. If we got rid of the three best guys of the past 5 years, then these guys shouldn’t be saved because they’re younger. Stearns wants roster flexibility and the ability to continue calling up his young prospects; at some point, a trade needs to happen—Vientos or Acuna or Mauricio—these guys don’t seem consistent enough to be major leaguers; trade them before it’s too late.

As for now, Bichette, I’m happy for him, and for someone who led the league in hits twice in 2021 and 2022 with 191 and 189, I truly believe he will be a great impact bat for the Mets. His career high in homers is 29 home runs and 102 RBIs, but for a player to consistently get the ball in play for guys like Lindor and Soto to bring them home is super important.

I am nonetheless excited for such a promising young guy to play for the Mets. With opt-outs after the first two years, there is a chance he may opt out, but then again, if he has a great season in 2026, who realistically is going to match the Mets’ $42 million a year deal? Especially if we enter a lockout, there is no saying if Bichette can even secure a long-term deal.

The smart thing to do is to just opt back in after 2026. Guys don’t really care about long-term security and more money over time; they care about shorter-term deals and bigger annual values, and the Mets are all for it, paying big bucks for a few years without committing long-term to multiple guys.