NY Mets Monday Morning GM: 5 decisions that’ll make or break the team in 2026

2) Landing Bo Bichette and all of the roster fallout that comes with it

Signing Bo Bichette set off a domino effect for the rest of the roster. He becomes the third baseman, pushing Brett Baty into the outfield or so we’ve been told. The crowded at-bats available for him and Mark Vientos as DHs will put a tighter leash on both.

The Mets had to end up with one significant bat this offseason. It ended up being Bichette. Pete Alonso never had a shot at returning, as much as many of us wanted to wish it true. As soon as the ball club traded Brandon Nimmo, it became apparent they were ready to make wholesale changes and focus on run prevention even if an addition like Bichette doesn’t come close to fulfilling that agenda.

Bichette’s presence on the Mets will have the most significant impact of anyone. He’s the newcomer who could play more than anybody else. A healthy year out of him with his usual brand of high contact, high average, and good power will be a difference while batting third or so in the lineup behind Juan Soto. Failure, similar to his 2024 season, and we might kiss the entire Mets season goodbye.

A bad year out of Bichette, or an injury-prone one, can result in him opting in for another season without the same kind of hype he has right now. The same could be true if he struggles mightily which seems less likely considering his track record outside of one year.

Bichette has a lot of pressure on him to learn a new position. The heat is on him to carry the offense and help replace one of the best sluggers in the team’s history, Alonso.

The easier thing would have been to keep Baty at third base and land Kyle Tucker to become your new right fielder while moving Soto to left. The Mets didn’t have the luxury of simplicity. They went bold and it can make or break them.