In the end, Bo Bichette made the decision everyone was expecting.
Bichette opted-in to his New York Mets contract for 2027 on Thursday, according to The Athletic’s Will Sammon.
It was a choice between making a guaranteed $42 million next season or risking it in free agency. Bichette didn’t take that risk.
Coming off a rough season, Bichette almost surely would’ve gotten less money on the free agent market. He also didn’t seem to mind New York, although it was an ugly season and he’ll be hoping for better.
“The Mets’ lineup was inconsistent in 2026,” Sammon wrote. “There were too many newcomers and too many injuries. Soto and Lindor each missed significant time. With some veteran stability and a young player core, Bichette said late in the season he expects the Mets to win after the club missed the postseason two straight years.”
Bichette will be a big key to what the Mets do in 2027. But by the same token, his contract decision may have just delayed the inevitable.
Bo Bichette’s Future
The reality is that Bichette will still be on the open market again in the near future.
The contract he signed with the Mets was for three years and $126 million. This was the first season. At most, he’ll be under this contract with the Mets through 2028.
But hold on — it doesn’t even have to be through 2028. Bichette built in opt-outs after each season.
Just like he had a $42 million decision for 2027, he’ll have the same for 2028. And if he has a better season ahead, he could make a different call next offseason.
“His decision to stick around with the Mets makes sense for a few reasons,” Sammon writes. “He could test the market again next offseason without an impending lockout looming over the sport’s landscape. By then, he could be coming off better production, too.”
There’s a strong chance the Mets and Bichette face this same predicament next offseason. And even if Bichette opts-in again, they’ll then have to decide what to do with him when he definitively reaches the end of his deal in 2028.
Bo Bichette Difficulties
Given Bichette’s relative struggles in 2026, his future doesn’t feel as great with the Mets as maybe it once did.
“After spending his entire career with the Toronto Blue Jays before coming to New York, Bichette, 28, struggled through the first quarter or so of the season as he acclimated to a new environment and new position (third base),” Sammon writes. “By May 17, he was hitting just .210 with a .531 OPS. Over his final 114 games, however, Bichette produced a .281 batting average and .772 OPS with 16 home runs.”
The overall season stats for Bichette still weren’t great, but the Mets will likely be OK with the fact that he’s back.
But he’s expensive if he’s not a top-notch hitter. The Mets have floundered chances in recent years, and they’ll have to hope Bichette doesn’t let his next chance in New York pass him by.
Bo Bichette’s Mets Decision Delays Inevitable