NBA

Bo Bichette and the New York Mets agreed to a $126 million, 3-year contract, an AP source said.

ballervisions 2026年1月17日

NEW YORK (AP) – Bo Bichette and the New York Mets agreed Friday to a three-year, $126 million 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 physical completion and had not yet 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 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 will get $47 million over one year and $89 million over two years, the person said.

The deal contains no deferred money and Bichette receives full non-trade coverage. His average annual salary of $42 million is the sixth highest in baseball history.

It was the latest major development in an eventful offseason for the Mets, who angered fans by allowing popular shortstop Pete Alonso and star closer Edwin Díaz to leave in free agency. President of baseball operations David Stearns also traded two other veterans, outfielder Brandon Nimmo and veteran all-rounder Jeff McNeil – both homers.

New York signed closer Devin Williams to a $51 million, three-year contract, infielder Jorge Polanco to a $40 million, two-year contract and reliever Luke Weaver to a $22 million, two-year deal.

Although he doesn’t have the incredible power of Alonso, Bichette is a proven hitter with quick hands and likes to double the line. He would give the Mets a dangerous right-handed reliever to help lefty slugger Juan Soto.

Because of his inability to third down, however, Bichette becomes the latest question mark in New York’s outfield even though Stearns insisted the team must improve its defense and is willing to do so.

Polanco has one major league experience at first base, where he and former third baseman Mark Vientos are the frontrunners to replace Alonso.

New York had planned to start Brett Baty at third base, where he provided a solid glove. Baty, who also has experience at second base, is considered a versatile outfielder who could see time in the outfield and possibly at first.

Alternatively, the Mets could look to trade Baty for pitching or outfield help. Glove winner Marcus Semien will play second base after arriving from Texas in a trade for Nimmo in November.

Bichette hit .311 with 18 home runs, 94 RBIs and an .840 OPS in 139 games for the Blue Jays last year. He took out 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 in Game 1 against the Dodgers and played second base for the first time in six years.

Bichette led the American League in hitting in 2021 and 2022. He finished second in the major leagues in batting average last season behind Yankees slugger Aaron Judge.

Bichette turned down a $22,025,000 qualifying offer from the Blue Jays in November, in exchange for another draft pick in July after the fourth round if he opts out of his contract with the Mets.

New York will lose its second and fifth top draft picks, as well as $1 million in 2027 in international signing bonuses.

Bichette was one of several hitters left 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 draft. He is a .294 hitter with 111 home runs and an .806 OPS in 748 big league games.

He is the son of former major league slugger Dante Bichette, a four-time All-Star outfielder.

Also on Friday, the Mets claimed outfielder Tsung-Che Cheng from Tampa Bay.

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AP Baseball writers Ronald Blum and David Brandt and AP Sports writer Dan Gelston contributed to this report.

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