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Why Mets signing Bo Bichette could help them land stud ace
Oct 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Bo Bichette (11) looks on before game three of the 2025 MLB World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Why Mets signing Bo Bichette could help them land stud ace

Originally posted on New York Mets on SI
By Ezra Lombardi  |  Last updated Oct 31, 2025 5:00 PM ET

Heading into a pivotal offseason, the New York Mets are expected to make major changes to their existing roster.

Whether it be through free agency or the trade block, David Stearns and company will be active participants looking to reconfigure a Mets squad that stumbled to an 83-79 record and missed the 2025 postseason. By nature, New York has already been linked to some of the biggest names in both avenues.

The most obvious is longtime Met Pete Alonso, who opted out of his deal with the club to look for a longer, more lucrative deal on the open market. While a reunion is certainly possible, it's hard to imagine that Stearns will be willing to meet Alonso's reported steep ask request for a seven-year contract. If another team does, the Mets will need a plan to replace his 126 RBI production in the lineup, while also improving the bottom half of the lineup and the barren starting rotation.

Why the Mets should sign Bo Bichette

While it's clearly a tough ask, the first step in doing so should be signing Toronto Blue Jays' shortstop Bo Bichette. Like Alonso, Bichette will be one of the top names in free agency looking for a long-term deal. Spotrac predicts that the 27-year-old middle infielder will command a 10-year, $260 million contract this offseason.

Despite missing most of September with a knee injury, Bichette led the American League champion Blue Jays with 181 hits (tied for second in MLB) and slashed .311/.357/.483 in 139 games. Bichette is also three years younger than Alonso and much more valuable in run prevention, an aspect of the game that Stearns emphasized as a top priority in his end-of-year presser. It's much more likely that a player like Bichette who is younger, gets on base more, and is a plus defender, would be on the receiving end of a seven-plus year contract than a future DH like Alonso.

How signing Bichette allows the Mets to trade for Skubal

But there is another hidden factor that would make signing Bichette a home run move for the Mets. As stated, Bichette is a proven glove on the left side on the infield. While Francisco Lindor is locked in as New York's shortstop, Bichette would be an immediate upgrade at either second or third base if he is willing to make the shift.

With Bichette and Lindor penciled in, Stearns would have a strong bunch of young infielders that can all be made available in a trade. This includes big leaguers Brett Baty (3B/2B), Ronny Mauricio (3B) and Mark Vientos (3B), as well as minor leaguers Jett Williams (2B), Jacob Reimer (3B/1B), and A.J. Ewing (2B).

Regarding the trade market, the best player potentially available would be Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal. The Mets are in desperate need for a proven ace, and Skubal would be just that; although it would take a true blockbuster for Detroit to even consider giving him up, bringing in Bichette to solidify the infield could make a Skubal trade easier for the Mets to consider.

Say Bichette plays third, the Mets could offer Jonah Tong, Brandon Sproat, and Baty/Vientos/Mauricio to the Tigers in exchange for Skubal while holding on to Williams to become the second baseman of the future. Even if Detroit needs more in return, the insurance of Bichette on a long-term deal would allow the Mets to dig deeper into the farm to pull off the blockbuster deal.

And if Bichette ends up at second, New York can feel comfortable trading Williams, Ewing, or 2025 first-round pick Mitch Voit while holding on to some combination of Baty, Vientos, and Mauricio to hold down third. If the Mets can work out a deal without including Vientos, the 25-year-old could also figure into the replacement plan for Alonso at first base if he walks in free agency. Bichette at second would also allow the club to move on from veteran Jeff McNeil, freeing up some cash for the next two seasons.

A deal for Skubal won't be cheap, but the Mets have built one of the strongest minor league systems in the league and will have the ammo to outbid any team. On top of this, New York will have the ability to sign the reigning Cy Young pitcher to the deal he is looking for, keeping him with the organization for the long haul. But first, the one key force that could push Stearns to be aggressive with his prospects this offseason would be bringing in the star infielder Bichette.


This article first appeared on New York Mets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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