Mets have perfect Kyle Tucker reaction with Bo Bichette signing

The New York Mets have signed free agent infielder Bo Bichette to a three-year, $126 million deal.

Nov 1, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Bo Bichette (11) runs after hitting a three run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the third inning during game seven of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

The New York Mets have made a quick and decisive pivot after losing out on the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes.

According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, Bo Bichette and the Mets are in agreement on a three-year, $126 million deal that is pending a physical. Bichette, 27, came into the offseason as one of the big-ticket players searching for a long-term deal. Instead, he lands in Queens on the short-term, high AAV deal that will have him re-enter free agency at 30 years old.

Source confirms Mets are getting Bo Bichette for 3-years, $126 million with opt-outs after years 1 and 2 @WillSammon and @JonHeyman on it

— Pat Ragazzo (@ragazzoreport) January 16, 2026

Over the last seven seasons, Bichette has established himself as one of the league's best contact hitters, leading MLB in hits during back-to-back campaigns in 2021 and 2022 and holding a career batting average of .294. He has earned two All-Star appearances (2021, 2023) and proved to be a clutch postseason performer during Toronto's 2025 World Series run.

Bichette was also drawing serious interest from the NL East rival Philadelphia Phillies, who reportedly had a 7-year, $200 million offer out to him as of Thursday night. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Phillies believed they would sign him until the Mets made their aggressive offer following the Tucker decision.

It is expected that Bichette, who was below average defensively as a shortstop, will man third base for the Mets with Francisco Lindor locked down at short. This will seemingly round out an infield of new acquisitions Jorge Polanco and Marcus Semien alongside Lindor and Bichette. This leaves the Mets with a crucial decision to make between their young options at third of Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, and Ronny Mauricio.

Bo Bichette is expected to play third base for the Mets, per multiple reports pic.twitter.com/WzfJIo8CkI

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) January 16, 2026

Baty is coming off a strong breakout season (3.1 bWAR) at third and the general feeling around the team was that he would be the future at the position. But with experience at both second and first base, the 26-year-old could remain in the immediate plans as a utility man and future plans as the successor for Semien or Polanco. Meanwhile, Vientos and Mauricio could become strong trade chips for David Stearns who still has some key roster holes to address.

With Bichette in town, any combination of these three promising young players could be dangled in a trade to address the needs in the starting rotation or outfield, with popular targets including Freddy Peralta and Jarren Duran. This, along with the club's robust farm system that includes high-end pitching prospects Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat, could allow the Mets to be ultra-aggressive in filling out the rest of the roster.

Read More: Where the Mets can pivot after losing out on Kyle Tucker

Less than 24 hours earlier, it was announced that the Mets had missed out on Tucker, who signed with the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers on a massive 4-year, $240 million deal. It was later reported that New York came up just short in negotiations, with their final offer at 4-years, worth $220 million with no deferrals.

But the Mets wasted no time in pivoting off of Tucker, nabbing one of the best remaining options on the open market and setting themselves up for a litany of impact moves. Now, all eyes will be on Stearns as he looks to fill out a roster around the now solidified infield.

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