Bo Bichette entered his walk-off year with one goal in mind: Proving he can still be a top hitter after an injury-riddled 2024. He accomplished that goal last season and was handsomely rewarded for it on Friday.
Bichette has reportedly agreed to a three-year, $126 million contract with the New York Mets, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
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Bichette is expected to play third base in Queens, currently managed by Brett Baty. The deal has no waivers, a full no-trade clause and an opt-out after the first two years, according to Jon Heyman.
Coming into the 2025 MLB season, it wasn’t a guarantee that Bichette would get a big contract when he hit the market. Despite the past five seasons in which he slashed .299/.340/.487, he had a down year in 2024, hitting just .225/.277/.322 over 336 plate appearances. While his defense was still good, Bichette was among the worst hitters in baseball in 2024.
There were several reasons for that. In June of that year, he went on the injured list due to a calf problem. He was able to come back but the injury was aggravated, which led to a long stay in IL. Bichette also worked his way back, but broke his finger one game into his second return from a calf injury.
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While that explains his struggles in the second half, his slow start in the first half was a major concern. Bichette appeared healthy entering the 2024 season, so there was no clear explanation for his early performance. Was he already a diminished player, or did a slow start spiral out of control due to injuries?
Bichette unequivocally answered that question in 2025. The shortstop returned to his merry ways, slashing .311/.357/.480 with 18 home runs over 628 plate appearances. It was his best game since his first season, when he hit 11 home runs in 212 games.
With his performance, Bichette proved that his 2024 year was a fluke. That puts the 27-year-old on a big payday in free agency, where he is ranked No. 4 on Yahoo’s list of the best players available this winter.
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While Bichette is capable of star production, injuries have been a problem for the midfielder. In addition to his 2024 injury, Bichette missed time in 2023 with knee and quad injuries, and missed most of the 2025 playoffs after suffering a knee injury.
Outside of 2024, Bichette worked despite those injuries. After injuring his knee in September, he was able to return in time for the World Series. Despite being less than 100 percent, he hit .348 in seven World Series games. He even hit a three-run homer off Los Angeles Dodger star Shohei Ohtani in Game 7 of the World Series.
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Because of his bounce back year, Bichette was given a qualifying offer from the Toronto Blue Jays. He refused that, knowing he would make much more in the free market.
And he was proven right. The Mets will shell out $126 million for Bichette, who has proven time and time again that he is a legitimate hitter.
Injuries remain a concern as Bichette moves forward. But as long as he stays on the field, he should be a short-term MVP.
