Overview
- In January the Phillies reportedly offered Bichette a seven-year, $200 million deal but lost him after the Mets signed him to a three-year, $126 million contract that included opt-outs after each of the first two seasons.
- Phillies president Dave Dombrowski called losing Bichette a “gut punch” even as he acknowledged there was never a signed memorandum of understanding to lock the deal.
- Bichette told reporters in Philadelphia that he did not think a Phillies agreement was “close,” saying the club’s talks were an opportunity that still needed work and that the Mets felt like the right fit for his family.
- Fans at Citizens Bank Park booed Bichette during pregame introductions and plate appearances when he visited for the first time this season, and he went 0-for-5 in the game as the crowd reaction underscored local frustration.
- Bichette has started to hit well in June, and the episode highlights how opt-outs, contract structure and personal priorities now shape free-agent decisions and leave the Phillies hunting for right-handed middle-of-the-order help.