Bo Bichette joins the Mets on a three-year, $126 million deal, expected to transition to third base

Although the smoke signals came later than anticipated, the Mets are celebrating today. MLB.com reporter Mark Feinsand announced that the New York Mets have agreed to a three-year, $126 million contract with infielder Bo Bichette, pending official confirmation from the team. MLB Network's Jon Heyman added that the deal includes two opt-out clauses and is awaiting a physical exam.

About 18 hours before the Bichette signing news broke, Mets owner Steve Cohen posted on social media: "Let me know when you see smoke." This was seen as a hint regarding Kyle Tucker's destination, who reportedly agreed yesterday to a four-year, $240 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Feinsand revealed that the Mets had offered Tucker a four-year, $220 million contract with opt-out options in the second and third years.

After missing out on Tucker, the Mets quickly shifted their focus to Bichette. Multiple media outlets reported that the former shortstop is expected to convert to third base. This is similar to the Mets’ plan to have Jorge Polanco, who has never played first base professionally, take over at first; likewise, Bichette has no professional experience playing third base.

Currently, the Mets' third baseman Brett Baty missed the final week of last season due to a right abdominal oblique injury, but still set career highs with 18 home runs and 50 RBIs over 130 games.

For Bichette and the Toronto Blue Jays, the core question last season was whether 2025 would be a rebound year or a continuation of their struggles after finishing last in the AL East the previous season. Both the player and team delivered a strong response. After a 2024 season hampered by injuries and poor performance, Bichette regained his powerful hitting form that led the AL in cumulative hits from 2021-2023, while the Blue Jays not only won the AL East but came within one step of a World Series title.

After the season, the Blue Jays extended a qualifying offer worth $22.025 million to Bichette, which he declined. This offer means that if Bichette signs with a new team, the Blue Jays will receive compensation after the fourth round of the 2026 draft; meanwhile, the Mets, as the team signing a player who declined a qualifying offer, will lose their second and fifth round picks in this year’s draft and have their international signing bonus pool reduced by $1 million.

As the son of longtime MLB outfielder Dante Bichette, Bo Bichette has consistently been one of the toughest batters to get out in the league. Last season, he posted a slash line of .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs. Despite missing most of the last month of the regular season due to injury, his 181 hits were only four shy of the league leader.

Bichette excels at wearing down opposing pitchers: in 2025, his strikeout rate (14.5%) was better than 84% of hitters, and his swing-and-miss rate (18.4%) was superior to 83%. Advanced metrics such as expected batting average (0.307, better than 99% of players), expected weighted on-base average (0.364, better than 84%), hard-hit rate (48.8%, better than 83%), and sweet spot contact rate (37.9%, better than 83%) all rank him near the top. His strategy of tightening his stance after two strikes, eliminating the leg kick, and shortening his swing allows him to extend at-bats and disrupt pitchers' timing. With an all-around hitting style capable of driving the ball to both left and right fields, he can send the ball to all corners of the park.

Last September, Bichette injured his left knee sliding back into home plate, causing him to miss the remainder of the regular season and the first two rounds of the playoffs. However, he returned injured for the World Series against the Dodgers. Even with limited baserunning ability due to his knee, his hitting remained strong—he posted a .348/.444/.478 slash line with six RBIs during the World Series and blasted a 442-foot three-run homer off Shohei Ohtani in Game 7, nearly helping the Blue Jays secure the championship.