The smoke was seen a little later than envisioned. But there was still something for the Mets to celebrate Friday.
The Mets have agreed to a three-year, $126 million deal with infielder Bo Bichette, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. The club has not confirmed. MLB Network insider Jon Heyman reported that the deal includes two opt-outs and is pending a physical.
Bichette’s reported agreement was revealed about 18 hours after Mets owner Steve Cohen wrote “Let me know when you see smoke.” Cohen’s message was in anticipation of a decision by Kyle Tucker, who reportedly agreed to a four-year, $240 million deal with the Dodgers late Thursday night.
Per Feinsand, the Mets had offered Tucker a four-year, $220 million deal.
The Mets quickly turned the page to Bichette, who is expected to make the transition from shortstop to third base, according to reports. Just like Mets projected first baseman Jorge Polanco has never previously played first base, Bichette has never been a third baseman.
The incumbent third baseman is Brett Baty, who delivered career highs in homers (18) and RBIs (50) in 130 games. Baty missed the last week of the regular season with a right oblique injury.
The question surrounding Bichette -- and the Blue Jays as a club -- entering last season was whether 2025 would be a bounce-back year or more of the same following Toronto's last-place finish in the American League East.
Both the player and the team answered in emphatic fashion. Following a 2024 campaign marred by injury and underperformance, Bichette returned to form as the star hitter who led the AL in hits over the three-season span from 2021-23. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays won the AL East and came within one win of a World Series title.
After the season, Toronto tendered a qualifying offer to Bichette, which he declined. The QO, which would have paid him $22.025 million for 2026, attached him to Draft compensation.
The Blue Jays will receive a 2026 Draft pick after the fourth round once he officially signs with another club. By signing a player who has rejected a QO, the Mets would lose their second- and fifth-round Draft picks this summer and they'll forfeit $1 million from their international bonus pool.
The son of 14-year MLB outfielder Dante Bichette, Bo is one of the toughest outs in the game. Last season, the shortstop posted a .311/.357/.483 slash line with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs. Despite missing most of the final month of the regular season due to injury, his 181 hits were only four shy of leading MLB.
Bichette makes opposing pitchers work. In 2025, he ranked among the top 14% of hitters with a 14.5% strikeout rate. He also ranked among the top 17% with an 18.4% whiff rate. He also finished in the 83rd percentile or higher in expected batting average (.307, 99th percentile), expected weighted on-base average (.364, 84th), hard-hit rate (48.8%, 83rd) and sweet spot rate (37.9%, 83rd).
With a stringent two-strike approach in which he widens his stance, eliminates his leg kick and shortens his swing, Bichette tends to see a lot of pitches and often fouls off a number of two-strike offerings before getting a pitch to drive. He’s a gap-to-gap hitter who can spray the ball all over the field.
Last September, Bichette injured his left knee while sliding into home plate. He missed the remainder of the regular season and the first two rounds of postseason play. But he returned for the World Series against the Dodgers despite his knee not being 100%.
While Bichette’s ability to run was compromised, it didn’t seem to impact his performance at the plate -- he posted a .348/.444/.478 slash line and drove in six runs, including three on a 442-foot homer to dead-center field in Game 7.