The Atlanta Braves spent much of the offseason with a glaring need at shortstop, and for a while, Bo Bichette looked like the perfect fit-at least on paper. A proven bat with All-Star pedigree, Bichette was the most high-profile shortstop available.
But while his offensive upside was never in question, his glove raised some eyebrows. Ultimately, Atlanta decided to go in a different direction, bringing back Ha-Seong Kim to shore up the middle infield.
That move effectively took them out of the Bichette sweepstakes-or so we thought.
Turns out, the Braves weren’t done dealing with Bichette after all. Not directly, but now they’ll be seeing plenty of him in 2026. The New York Mets have swooped in and landed Bichette on a massive three-year deal, complete with a jaw-dropping average annual value.
Let’s be clear: Bichette’s bat is legit. Outside of a down 2024 season, the guy has been remarkably consistent at the plate.
You can just about lock him in for a .300 average and 20-25 home runs each year. That’s the kind of production that can change the shape of a lineup-and now it’s going to be happening in Queens.
For Atlanta, that’s a tough pill to swallow. Bichette may not have been the perfect fit defensively, but facing him 13 times a season as a division rival is a whole different challenge. The Braves’ pitching staff will now have to navigate his bat regularly, and that’s no small task.
But not all is doom and gloom in Atlanta. First off, the price tag on Bichette-$42 million per year-is steep.
That kind of deal is tough to justify for a player whose defense at shortstop is still a question mark. The Mets are betting big that his bat will outweigh any defensive shortcomings, but that’s a gamble.
And if you’re the Braves, you’d probably rather see Bichette in a Mets uniform than in a Phillies one. Philadelphia was reportedly in the mix for Bichette as well, and pairing his bat with their already potent lineup might’ve been a more immediate concern.
Still, this move underscores just how competitive the NL East is shaping up to be. The Mets, Phillies, and Braves are all loading up, and the margin for error is razor-thin.
For Atlanta, staying healthy and getting consistent production across the roster will be key if they want to reclaim control of the division. Adding Bichette doesn’t suddenly make the Mets the team to beat, but it does make them harder to ignore.
The Braves chose stability and defense with Kim. The Mets chose firepower with Bichette.
Now, we get to see which approach wins out over the course of a 162-game grind. One thing’s for sure-the NL East just got a whole lot more interesting.