The Philadelphia Phillies missed out on Bo Bichette this past offseason, and so far in 2026, that’s looking like a bullet dodged.
Bichette hasn’t been very good for the New York Mets, and even though the Phillies’ offense has struggled this season, Bichette wouldn’t have helped based on his production.
But according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the Phillies might get a second chance at Bichette this upcoming offseason. With the third baseman potentially opting out, should Philadelphia actually take a swing at him?
“Teams expected New York Mets third baseman Bo Bichette to opt out of the final two years of his Mets contract after the season, giving clubs like the Philadelphia Phillies a second shot at him,” Nightengale writes.
In theory, being able to sign Bichette – a two-time All-Star with a career .289 batting average – would be appealing for an offense that’s starving for quality right-handed hitting.
However, the Phillies shouldn’t be eager to pursue him. They dodged a bullet this offseason when the Mets swooped in and signed him to that massive deal. Philadelphia shouldn’t sign Bichette after being saved from a mistake a year ago.
The Numbers Tell the Story
This season, he’s hitting .236 with a .644 OPS. Let’s put that into perspective: he posted an .840 OPS in 2025 for the Toronto Blue Jays, and over the first five years of his career, he maintained an .826 OPS.
What makes this situation more concerning is that it’s not just a one-off struggle. Back in 2024, he posted a .598 OPS and .225 average in 81 games during the worst year of his career.
A strong 2025 helped salvage his free agent value, but his struggles this year should be more concerning for the Phillies than that 2024 season was.
Two of the last three years have been nightmarish for Bichette. While it’s hard to determine if that’s how the rest of his career will go, those two worrying seasons are something Philadelphia should avoid – even if he hits free agency next year.
Better Options Available
If Bichette does opt out, the Phillies shouldn’t pursue him in free agency. Instead, they should explore other infield options to replace Alec Bohm at third base.
The way I see it, Philadelphia got lucky when New York stepped in last offseason. Sometimes the best moves are the ones you don’t make, and this looks like one of those cases.
