It really felt like the Philadelphia Phillies had a legitimate chance to sign star free agent Bo Bichette. Instead, the worst possible alternative came to pass after the New York Mets pulled off a stunning move on Friday, swooping in and signing Bichette to a three-year, $126 million deal.
First broken by The Athletic's Will Sammon, the Mets' shocking coup absolutely crushed Phillies fans. But the pain didn't end there after USA Today's Bob Nightengale broke more news that will devastate fans even more. Shortly after the signing was announced, Nightengale revealed that the Phillies had already indeed agreed to Bichette's request for a seven-year, $200 million deal.
But the Mets, after learning that the Los Angeles Dodgers' stole Kyle Tucker out from under their nose, came in with their $42 million per season offer.
The Phillies had agreed to Bo Bichette’s request for a 7-year, $200 million deal last night and believed they would sign him until the Mets swooped in with their 3-year, $126 million offer after losing out in in the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) January 16, 2026
Phillies considered favorites for Bo Bichette until Mets swooped in
Up until a couple of weeks ago, any thoughts of signing one of the top remaining free agents seemed like a pipe dream for Phillies fans. After we got all riled up and frothing at the mouth with the possibility of Bichette coming to Philadelphia, now we get this gut punch.
Bichette's interest in the Phillies seemed to take a leap after the front office brought in Don Mattingly as the new bench coach early in the New Year. The two spent three years together in Toronto and have a well-documented close relationship. Shortly after, the notion of Bichette signing in Philly quickly went from mere speculation to a legitimate prospect after the two sides had a meeting earlier this week.
The Phillies were considered the "favorite" to sign Bichette and the anticipation had been building among the fan base ever since that initial meeting. With Trea Turner the last big addition to the lineup, which came during the MLB Winter Meetings in 2022, Phillies fans have been clamoring for a big splash after being bounced in the NLDS in two consecutive postseasons.
While the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, and Los Angeles Dodgers were also thought to be bidders for his services, the Phillies' willingness to go long term was thought to be the difference-maker (subscription required). Not so much, it appears.
The Phillies' offer would have paid Bichette $28.57 million per year with more security. But the Mets' $42 million AAV deal, which comes with opt-outs after the first and second years, was too good for the 27-year-old to pass up.
Adding Bichette would have given the Phillies a much-needed new right-handed look at the top of their lineup. He's a .294 career hitter who has led the American League twice in hits. He batted a career-best .311 last season with an .840 OPS while striking out a career-low 14.5 percent of the time. In 139 games, he hit 18 home runs and drove in 94 runs.
But alas, now Bichette joins the hated Mets and will forever be a target for Phillies fans after this treachery.