Phillies' Dave Dombrowski makes harsh admission on Bo Bichette to Mets, raises Alec Bohm concerns

Hunter Cookston

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Phillies' Dave Dombrowski makes harsh admission on Bo Bichette to Mets, raises Alec Bohm concerns image

The Philadelphia Phillies were able to bring back the players they wanted, including slugger Kyle Schwarber and veteran catcher J.T. Realmuto. However, the Phillies were also looking to land one or two major stars this offseason. Specifically, the sweepstakes for Bo Bichette appeared to be shaping up as a major win for Philadelphia.

“Bichette/Phillies meeting is said to have gone very well fwiw. Bichette admires “first class” organization. Other pluses: roster, park, Mattinglys link, spring proximity to home. Would Phils need to deal Bohm, do lesser C than JT? Other Bo suitors: Jays, Red Sox, NYY, LAD, more,” MLB insider Jon Heyman posted.

However, that is not how things played out, as Bichette ultimately signed with the Phillies’ NL East rival, the New York Mets, on a three-year deal.

“The New York Mets, in a quick pivot 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 deal, which is pending a physical, includes player opt-out clauses after the first and second seasons. It does not include any deferred money, giving the contract a straight average annual value of $42 million,” ESPN’s Jorge Castillo wrote.

The Phillies pushed the Mets until the final day to get a deal done, but it was New York that ultimately pulled away. Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski recently made it clear how he felt after Bichette joined the Mets.

“I did think we were going to get a deal done...We were close....It was a gut punch....But until you have a signed memo of understanding, you don't have a deal,” Dombrowski said.

There is no doubt the Phillies still have a very talented roster, but landing Bichette in Philadelphia would have given them a clear path to move on from Alec Bohm. Now, the situation around Bohm could become tense and awkward, knowing the team was actively seeking a replacement.

This has become a worst-case scenario for the Phillies, and Dombrowski knows it — not only because they lost out on Bichette, but also because of the uncertainty surrounding Bohm. It will be interesting to see what the clubhouse dynamic looks like once Spring Training begins.

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