New York Mets fans were disappointed after top free agent Kyle Tucker passed on Steve Cohen’s offer Thursday night and instead signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. On Friday, the Mets responded with a splash of their own.
The Mets agreed to a deal with former Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette, signing one of baseball’s best contact hitters after an offseason defined more by losses than additions.
Bichette was a key contributor to the Blue Jays’ AL championship team in 2025, on pace for 200 hits before going down with a knee injury in early September. When he returned in the World Series, he showed no rust and proved to interested teams that his knee was not a lingering issue heading into the offseason.
Here’s what you need to know about Bichette’s deal with the Mets.
MORE: Breaking down the Dodgers' payroll with Kyle Tucker
Bo Bichette contract details
Bichette agreed to a three-year, $126 million contract with opt-outs after the first and second seasons, according to multiple reports. The deal was first reported by The Athletic's Will Sammon.
Bichette's contract includes no deferrals and a full no-trade clause. The opt-outs give him the chance to hit free agency again in search of a longer-term deal after either the 2026 or 2027 seasons, similar to the way deals for Alex Bregman and Cody Bellinger were structured in recent years.
At $42 million per year, Bichette's average annual value trails only Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto and Tucker, tying him with Zack Wheeler for fourth among all players.
Bichette, a shortstop by trade who took a step back defensively in 2025, is expected to play third base for the Mets, with Francisco Lindor locked in at shortstop and newly-acquired Marcus Semien set at second base.
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Bo Bichette stats
| Season | Team | Games | AVG | HR | RBI | OPS |
| 2019 | Blue Jays | 46 | .311 | 11 | 21 | .930 |
| 2020 | Blue Jays | 29 | .301 | 5 | 23 | .840 |
| 2021 | Blue Jays | 159 | .298 | 29 | 102 | .828 |
| 2022 | Blue Jays | 159 | .290 | 24 | 93 | .802 |
| 2023 | Blue Jays | 135 | .306 | 20 | 73 | .814 |
| 2024 | Blue Jays | 81 | .225 | 4 | 31 | .598 |
| 2025 | Blue Jays | 139 | .311 | 18 | 94 | .840 |
| Career | 748 | .294 | 111 | 437 | .806 |
Bichette is a career.294 hitter and led the American League in hits twice with the Blue Jays. While not a massive power hitter by any means, Bichette has been one of baseball's best contact hitters since he debuted in 2019.
How old is Bo Bichette?
Bichette is 27 years old, but he will turn 28 before Opening Day. If he played out all three years of his new contract, he would hit free agency following his age-30 season.
MORE: Projecting the Dodgers' lineup with Kyle Tucker
Bo Bichette career timeline
- 2019-25: Toronto Blue Jays
- 2026: New York Mets
Bichette was drafted by the Blue Jays in 2016 and spent the first seven seasons of his MLB career in Toronto. An All-Star in 2021 and 2023, Bichette is a career.294 hitter and twice led the American League in hits during his time with the Blue Jays, also reaching the World Series with Toronto in his final season.
Bo Bichette career earnings
This is Bichette's first contract after his rookie deal, so he is actually set to make more in 2026 than he did over the first seven seasons of his career. Bichette's career earnings are $37.1 million, according to Spotrac, with the majority of that money coming in 2024 and 2025 when he was eligible for arbitration.