The New York Mets, pivoting quickly after failing to sign Kyle Tucker, have agreed to a three-year, $126 million contract with infielder Bo Bichette, sources confirmed to ESPN on Friday.
The agreement, which is pending physical, includes exit clauses for players after the first and second seasons. It does not include any deferred revenue, giving the contract a net annual value of $42 million. With the spending, the Mets exceeded the maximum competitive balance tax limit of $304 million with a projected salary of $345.7 million, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts.
Adding Bichette would also cost the Mets, like competing taxpayers last season, their second and fifth top picks in the 2026 draft and $1 million from their international bonus pool because the Toronto Blue Jays had offered Bichette a qualifying offer of $22.025 million that he declined. With Bichette signing with another team, the Blue Jays, who drafted Bichette in the second round in 2016, will receive a compensatory pick after the fourth round.
The deal with Bichette, one of the top free agents on the market, was closed about 12 hours after Tucker opted to sign a four-year, $240 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers over a four-year, $220 million offer from the Mets — a decision that further angered fans who still agree with New York’s four longest-tenured players leaving for other teams.
This time, the Mets beat out competition, led by their National League East rival, the Philadelphia Phillies, for Bichette on a short-term deal that could end up being a one-year deal.
The pressure was on owner Steve Cohen and president of baseball David Stearns to suddenly add premier talent to the roster without Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, Edwin Diaz and Jeff McNeil. Adding top-level talent whenever possible, regardless of fit, was the driver in the Mets’ pursuit of both Tucker and Bichette.
While Stearns has focused on the Mets’ need to improve “run defense” — modern baseball parlance for pitching and defense — this winter, Tucker ranked as a shortstop last season and would have moved to left field, a position he hasn’t played since 2020, had he chosen New York.
Bichette, on the other hand, was one of the worst shortstops in baseball last season. He is slated to play third base in New York — a position he has never played at any level as a professional — across the diamond from Jorge Polanco, who signed in December to play first base for the first time in his career.
In the end, the Mets chased both Tucker and Bichette for their at-bats.
Bichette, who turns 28 in March, is an offensive force when healthy, boasting superior bat-to-ball skills that have produced a .294/.337/.469 slash line in his seven seasons as the Blue Jays’ shortstop. He hit .290 or better in six of those seasons, led the American League in hitting twice and has been named an All-Star twice.
Last season, he rebounded from an injury-plagued 2024 campaign to hit .311 with 18 home runs and an .840 OPS in 139 games as Toronto moved from worst to first in the American League East. He returned from a season-ending ankle injury to hit .348 with a .923 OPS in the World Series while playing second base for the first time in his major league career and hit a three-run homer off Shohei Ohtani in Game 7 before the Blue Jays lost in extra innings.
With the Mets, Bichette projects to hit third behind Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto, giving Soto the special right-handed lineup protection he lost with Alonso’s departure.
Brett Baty, who was expected to start at third base, could move into a relief role that includes appearances in the outfield if he is not used in a trade to address the Mets’ need for an outfielder or starting pitcher. Baty, 26, enjoyed a second-half breakout in 2025, hitting .291 with an .829 OPS in 55 games after the All-Star break as the Mets’ third baseman. He pitched just one outing inning in his major league career.
Mark Vientos, Ronny Mauricio and Luisangel Acuna are also young infielders on the Mets’ roster who could play part-time roles if not moved in a trade.
The Athletic first reported the Mets’ deal with Bichette.
