3 immediate thoughts after Bo Bichette’s predictable NY Mets decision to stay

The $42 million option for 2027 was too tempting for Bo Bichette. He’ll predictably take the cash, stay in New York, and look to rebuild some value before making another call for 2028. It was the first major event the New York Mets required for some sense of what’s next.

It’s a decision that stirs different types of emotions. And because this was the resolution everyone has been expecting, the first thoughts had time to brew properly.

First thoughts after learning Bo Bichette will remain with the Mets

Thought One: This was the best outcome for the Mets

There was no replacing Bichette at third base with anyone better. Maybe the Mets get lucky. Promoting Jefferson Rojas almost immediately after another trial for Brett Baty at the position was a possibility. A trade for Isaac Paraedes might have been the most rewarding although we’d probably be frustrated with who they gave up to get a short-term solution. The Mets are banking on him being the player he was to finish the year from the start. Whether the New York pressure or something else was the culprit, there is no longer room for excuse.

Thought Two: Bo Bichette is not going to be a $42 million player, that’s okay

If not at $42 million guaranteed, the other outcome that might have turned out well is a long-term deal on a lower AAV. Do we really care about that cash? Bichette, coming off of a good year, is probably going to get around $27-29 million or maybe even $30 million per year as a free agent. The situation just got a whole lot more complicated because he was absent for the first two months on the field and not feeling himself. The burden of a large one-year contract, essentially, shouldn’t be a reason to dislike the move. That only changes if the final thought comes into play.

Thought Three: What does this mean for first base?

Having a $42 million player at one position means you’re going to pull financial resources from other spots to make it work. First base suffered last year. Will it become the victim again? Teruaki Sato is the only first baseman who’d get a large enough contract to make David Stearns gasp. Bichette remaining with the Mets won’t stop them from signing Tarik Skubal, but maybe it convinces them to not go after a pair of starters or even cut corners at other positions. The Mets were never going to have Bichette and Pete Alonso on their roster together last year. Most likely, because they do have Jared Young as well as some right-handed first base targets in free agency or trades, we see first base ignored as a premium spot on the field.

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