The Mets may be headed toward a deadline sell-off, and Bo Bichette is one of the names that keeps surfacing.
New York sits in fifth place in the National League East at 40-57, 16.0 games behind the first-place Atlanta Braves, which leaves the club with plenty to sort through before the Major League Baseball trade deadline. A move involving Bichette would make sense on paper, but his contract makes the situation a lot messier than a simple trade chip discussion.
Bichette’s deal includes player options worth $40-plus million, and he also holds a no-trade clause that gives him full control over where he goes next. That combination makes him a tricky piece for a team that may be looking to reshape the roster.
“Bo Bichette, New York Mets (Contract Details: Three years, $42 million AAV with player opt-out after the first two years). The Mets are more than likely selling at this point.
The opt-outs in Bichette’s contract should make the Mets wary about keeping him. Bichette didn’t just sign with them for the money; he wants to win.
Luckily for the player, he has a full no-trade clause, giving him complete control over whether he stays or goes,” Caleb Kerney wrote.
There’s also skepticism about how much of Bichette’s decision was really about chasing a winner. The bigger draw, as the reporting suggests, may have been the money and the appeal of New York’s offer to the former Toronto Blue Jays shortstop.
Even if the Mets are willing to listen, finding a market could be another hurdle. Unless New York agrees to eat some salary, there’s a real question about how many teams would be willing to take on what has been described as one of baseball’s worst contracts since he signed it.
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