Report: Phillies had a seven-year deal on the table for Bo Bichette

With Bo Bichette signing a short-term, high-AAV deal with the New York Mets, news about other deals and agreements from the offseason are starting to trickle out when it comes to the former Jays infielder. 

Per Bob Nightengale at USA Today, the Philadelphia Phillies had reportedly agreed to Bichette’s contract demands for a seven-year, $200 million deal, and an agreement appeared to be on the horizon before the Mets sealed the deal with their recent offer. With the Mets contract, Bichette can opt out of the contract after year one and year two, with the infielder able to test the market in relatively short order.

The Phillies’ deal would have paid Bichette ~$28.5 million AAV, and he likely would have played either second base or third base for Philadelphia, given Trea Turner’s spot at shortstop. Their front office has been busy this winter as well, bringing back Kyle Schwarber on a five-year deal and have now re-signed catcher J.T. Realmuto to a three-year deal worth $45 million, which has incentives that could push it to $60 million overall.

There hasn’t been any news leaks on what (if any) contract offer the Jays had on the table to retain their former second-round pick and longtime shortstop, but the Jays will now acquire a draft pick after the fourth round for losing Bichette this winter.

With Bichette, the Mets are getting one of the last premium bats on the free agent market that adds to their lineup of Juan Soto, Marcus Semien, and Francisco Lindor, which is why the former Jays shortstop will be sliding over to third base in Queens.

Across seven seasons, Bichette amassed a .294./.337/.469 slash line with 111 home runs and .806 OPS. He earned two All-Star nominations and led the league in hits twice (2021, 2022) during his time with Toronto.

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