After coming up short on Thursday in their pursuit of top free agent Kyle Tucker, the New York Mets made a big and unexpected free agent splash on Friday.
Yesterday, the NY Mets took another gut punch in what has been a frustrating offseason for their fan base. After making a strong push to sign Tucker, including an offer that would pay him $55 million a year, the four-time All-Star instead took a massive four-year, $240 million deal from rivals the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Well, it didn’t take long for New York to offer a strong response to losing the Tucker sweepstakes. The Athletic’s Will Sammon was the first to report that the Mets and free agent infielder Bo Bichette have agreed on a deal. The contract is reportedly for three years and $126 million and allegedly has opt-outs after year one and two.
While the two-time All-Star’s addition is a big one, it is also surprising. The NY Mets already had a lot of infield options heading into 2026. Adding a veteran impact bat for the outfield is an obvious need, and still is after Friday’s signing.
Bo Bichette stats: .311 AVG, .357 OBP, .483 SLG, .840 OPS, 18 HR, 94 RBI, 78 R
Furthermore, a clear goal of the offseason has been to improve the team’s defense. Bichette, who will reportedly play third for the NY Mets, is seen as a decent player in the infield.
In the end, he offered a few things that the front office clearly liked. Bichette was willing to take a short-term deal for a high annual average value. He is only 27 (He turns 28 in March), and there is no denying he is an elite infield bat — when healthy. While he doesn’t fill the void left by Pete Alonso completely, he is still a big bat in the order.
Following the NY Mets’ signing of Bo Bichette, let’s project what the 2026 opening day lineup/batting order should look like.
- 1. Franciso Lindor, SS
- 2. Bo Bichette, 3B
- 3. Juan Soto, RF
- 4. Marcus Semien, 2B
- 5. Mark Vientos, DH
- 6. Jorge Polanco, 1B
- 7. Francisco Alvarez, C
- 8. Tyrone Taylor, CF
- 9. Carson Benge, LF
