Everything Mets Fans Need to Know (6/20): Bichette Clears the Air, Rehab Updates, and More

From World Cup appearances to Double-A rehab assignments, the Mets had quite the busy, random Friday off day. It's wacky — you almost never hear of an off day taking place mid-series on a Friday, but here we are.

Having an off day doesn't pause Mets news. Here's everything happening in Mets land.

Bo Bichette clears the air: Why he chose the Mets over the Phillies

The dreaded elephant in the room has finally arrived. With the Mets and Phillies officially going face-to-face for the first time in 2026, the media and Philadelphia fans took issue with Bichette's decision to join the Mets.

It's not like the Phillies didn't offer the former Blue Jay a competitive deal, appearing as his most aggressive suitor throughout the offseason before the Mets suddenly swooped in and stole their biggest offseason acquisition. Philadelphia offered Bichette a seven-year, $200 million deal, focusing on him playing either second or third base.

Following a meeting on Jan. 12, Dave Dombrowski and the Phillies firmly believed they were at the helm of adding Bichette, but instead were "blindsided."

The Mets joined the race following a blindside of their own, when Kyle Tucker chose Los Angeles over a spot in Queens. The following day, David Stearns moved in the dark, signing Bichette to a three-year, $126 million deal with an opt-out—something the Phillies failed to include.

To Bichette, an opt-out was important, giving him the opportunity to re-enter free agency if his first season went well, essentially taking a gamble on himself.

For the first time in 2026, Bichette appeared in Philadelphia, receiving a flurry of boos from the Phillies crowd. His first game against the Mets' rival wasn't his greatest, as he went 0-for-5 in Thursday's win. The comments he made prior to the game are what settled the air.

Phillies fans are seriously booing Bo Bichette 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/V03eFbKJq8
— SleeperMets (@SleeperMets) June 18, 2026

"At the end of the day, it just became obvious to me that it was the right decision for me and my wife and my family," Bichette said. "There's a lot of parallels between the two — passionate fan bases and organizations trying to win."

Bo Bichette was asked why he chose the Mets over the Phillies

"At the end of the day, it just became obvious to me that it was the right decision for me and my wife and my family. There's a lot of parallels between the two - passionate fanbase and organizations trying to win" pic.twitter.com/68qMdc2Xja
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) June 18, 2026

Whether it was the $42 million per year the Mets offered or the fact Bichette genuinely wanted to be in New York, Mets fans have something to hold over the heads of Phillies fans, even if it's just for one season.

Mets injury updates

Francisco Lindor inches even closer to his Mets return, appearing in his first rehab assignment in Double-A and going 1-for-4 with a run scored. Carlos Mendoza and the team expect Lindor to return at some point next week.
Tyrone Taylor appeared in his first rehab assignment in Double-A alongside Lindor, going 2-for-3 with a solo home run.
Ronny Mauricio appeared in his first rehab assignment Thursday, going 1-for-3 while playing five innings at shortstop. Mauricio has been sidelined since May 2 with a left thumb fracture after serving as the Mets' emergency shortstop when Lindor went down.

Down on the farm

Mets No. 13 prospect Zach Thornton made a start for Triple-A, going four innings while surrendering five runs on eight hits.
Mets No. 17 prospect Dylan Ross continues to struggle in Triple-A, allowing six earned runs in his relief outing. His ERA now sits at 8.14.
Mets No. 28 Brendan Girton prospect delivered in Double-A, going 3 2/3 innings in his start while allowing one run and striking out five batters.

This Day In Mets History

6/20/1963: The Mets and Yankees play in the first-ever Mayor's Trophy Game/ Casey Stengel and the Mets beat the Yankees 6-2 in an exhibition matchup that had over 50,000 fans in attendance at Yankee stadium

6/20/2002: Steve Trachsel takes a perfect game into the seventh inning, ending his night going 8.1 innings while allowing just two runs.

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