01/16/26 07:21:00
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01/16 19:20 CST Bo Bichette and the New York Mets agree to a $126 million,
3-year contract, AP source says
Bo Bichette and the New York Mets agree to a $126 million, 3-year contract, AP
source says
By MIKE FITZPATRICK
AP Baseball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --- Bo Bichette and the New York Mets agreed Friday to a $126
million, three-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The
Associated Press.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was
subject to a successful physical and had not been announced.
A two-time All-Star shortstop with the Toronto Blue Jays, Bichette will move to
third base with the Mets, who have Francisco Lindor at shortstop. Bichette has
never played a professional game at the hot corner.
Bichette can opt out of the deal after the first or second season to become a
free agent again. He would receive $47 million for one year and $89 million for
two years, the person said.
The deal does not contain any deferred money and Bichette gets a full no-trade
provision. His $42 million average annual value ties for the sixth-highest in
baseball history.
It was the latest big development in an eventful offseason for the Mets, who
angered fans by letting popular slugger Pete Alonso and star closer Edwin Daz
leave in free agency. President of baseball operations David Stearns also
traded two other stalwarts, outfielder Brandon Nimmo and versatile veteran Jeff
McNeil --- both homegrown players.
New York signed closer Devin Williams to a $51 million, three-year contract,
infielder Jorge Polanco to a $40 million, two-year deal and reliever Luke
Weaver to a $22 million, two-year agreement.
Although he lacks Alonso's prodigious power, Bichette is a proven hitter with
lightning-fast hands and a penchant for line-drive doubles. He would give the
Mets a dangerous right-handed bat to help complement lefty slugger Juan Soto.
Because of his inexperience at third, however, Bichette becomes the latest
question mark in the field for New York even though Stearns has insisted the
team must improve its defense and is determined to do so.
Polanco has one pitch of major league experience at first base, where he and
Mark Vientos, previously a third baseman, are the leading candidates to replace
Alonso.
New York had planned to start Brett Baty at third, where he provides a strong
glove. Baty, who also has experience at second base, is viewed as a versatile
defender who could see time in the outfield and perhaps at first.
Or, the Mets could look to trade Baty for pitching or outfield help. Gold Glove
winner Marcus Semien is set to play second after arriving from Texas in a
November trade for Nimmo.
Bichette batted .311 with 18 home runs, 94 RBIs and an .840 OPS in 139 games
for the Blue Jays last year. He homered off Shohei Ohtani in Game 7 of the
World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Late last season, Bichette sprained his left knee in a Sept. 6 collision with
New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells, keeping the infielder out of the lineup
until the World Series. He returned for Game 1 against the Dodgers and played
second base for the first time in six years.
Bichette led the American League in hits in 2021 and 2022. He finished second
in the major leagues in batting average last season to Yankees slugger Aaron
Judge.
Bichette turned down a $22,025,000 qualifying offer from the Blue Jays in
November, so they would receive an extra draft pick in July after the fourth
round if he completes his deal with the Mets.
New York would forfeit its second- and fifth-highest draft picks, along with $1
million in 2027 international signing bonus pool allocation.
Bichette was one of the last remaining big-name hitters on the free agent
market after outfielder Kyle Tucker spurned the Mets and agreed Thursday to a
$240 million, four-year contract with the Dodgers.
Bichette, who turns 28 in March, has spent his entire career with the Blue Jays
since they selected him in the second round of the 2016 amateur draft. He is a
.294 career hitter with 111 home runs and an .806 OPS in 748 major league games.
He is a son of former big league slugger Dante Bichette, a four-time All-Star
outfielder.
Also Friday, the Mets claimed infielder Tsung-Che Cheng off waivers from Tampa
Bay.
___
AP Baseball Writers Ronald Blum and David Brandt and AP Sports Writer Dan
Gelston contributed to this report.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb
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