The Mets have a little over a week to figure out what they’re doing before the Aug. 3 trade deadline, and Bo Bichette’s name has been floating around in the mix. It’s not hard to see why. He’s a big-name shortstop on a team that’s been inconsistent. But there’s one thing that makes the whole rumor mill feel like a stretch: that three-year, $126 million contract he signed includes a full no-trade clause.
When reporters asked Bichette if he’d be willing to waive it, he didn’t exactly slam the door.
“That hasn’t been brought to my attention right now, so I don’t have an answer,” he told reporters, via the New York Post.
That’s a pretty noncommittal way to talk about a deal that, on paper, basically lets him decide where he plays. But Bichette also has the option to opt out after this season. So there’s a lot of moving parts here. He’s not exactly rushing to answer hypotheticals about his future.
A slow start turned into a solid stretch
Bichette’s first few weeks in a Mets uniform were rough. Really rough. But since then he’s settled in. Going into Saturday, he’d posted an .844 OPS over his last 36 games. The season line — .253/.297/.372 with 10 homers and 51 RBIs — isn’t going to blow anybody away, but it’s trending upward. And the Mets need every bat they can get if they want to make a run.
The contract structure makes a trade complicated. The no-trade clause gives Bichette control, and the opt-out means he could hit free agency this winter anyway. That’s a weird spot for a potential trade partner. You’re not just trading for a rental. You might be trading for a guy who walks after October.
Bichette was asked whether the team’s direction would factor into his opt-out decision. He didn’t tip his hand much.
“I think there’s a lot of positive things here, and also some things that haven’t gone right,” he said. “Obviously, that is something everybody can see, but everything will be taken into account.”
He talked up the young players on the roster and said the organization’s commitment to winning was part of what drew him to New York in the first place.
“I signed here because I believed in the talent here, and it’s exciting to play for an organization that was trying to win,” Bichette said. “The reason I signed the contract was to have freedom for my own career, so I guess it would be too early to tell.”
So yeah. He’s not ruling anything out. But most people around the league still see him as a long shot to actually get moved before the deadline. Between the no-trade clause and the opt-out, the Mets might just hold onto him and see what happens in the offseason.
Leave a Comment