The Mets agreed to terms with free agent Bo Bichette on a 3 year/$126 M contract with those dreaded opt-outs after each season. No deferrals and a no-trade clause. What's interesting here is the Mets apparently plan to use Bichette as a 3B. While it's been assumed he would move off shortstop due to lack of range it's been generally assumed he would move to 2B due to average arm strength.
Bichette rebounded from disastrous 2024 season with an excellent 2025 despite missing the last month of the season with a sprained PCL in his knee. He also missed the first rounds of the postseason but had an excellent World Series.
Many Giants fans thought Bichette might be a fit at 2B for the Giants. I think it's pretty safe to say by now that Buster Posey is not going to sign any contracts containing opt-out clauses. Word is Bichette took this deal over a 7 yr/$200 M offer from the Phillies. This contract makes betting on himself a low-risk move.
J T Realmuto C re-signed with the Phillies.
Posey isn’t making any big signings because all these contracts being signed are ridiculous. Devers and Adames contracts look like steals in comparison
ReplyDeleteProbably worth mentioning that Bryce Eldridge is changing numbers from 68 to 8 which would seem to indicate the Giants expect him to spend a significant portion of 2026 on the active roster.
Deletemy thinking is the A's left Oakland and the Giants have the whole bay area to themselves now. Attendance will increase automatically. Bob in Dixon.
DeleteMaybe not automatically but it's very good for the Giants to not have to share the market. I remember when the A's moved to Oakland. I knew it was bad news for the Giants immediately. I have always felt like the A's were imposters and were a major cause of the financial troubles of the 1970's.
DeleteImposters might be a little harsh. The A's showed up and immediately impacted SF attendance, for sure. But they also won 3 World Series in a row. That's fairly legit, no? I guess maybe it was Finley's 'showmanship' that seemed a little thin, Doc?...He was dancing. But the stories are incredibly entertaining. No Finely, then no Jon Miller, no MC Hammer...no Mrs. Fields Cookies???
DeleteThey could have won 3 World Series just as well in Kansas City where they belonged, for all I cared about them.
DeleteIt seems to me that is a LOT of money for a 3B who isn't a great fielder.
ReplyDeleteSeems like a lot of money, even for a very good player $42,000,000/for 1 year — solidly into the 4th luxury tax tier for the 6th straight year making Bichette cost about $95 Million for 2026 — not that it matters to Cohen.
ReplyDeleteBut they still have pitching woes, and they still have to get by the juggernaut down south as well as several teams in their own division to get to the playoffs.
It's just money...
Bichette is a solid player, but $42M a year should buy a superstar. Projections have him this:
ReplyDeleteBatting average-.289
OBP-.340 (Walk rate at only 6%)
SLG-.457
HRs-20ish
At that price...no thanks. Yes, significantly better projections over Casey Schmidt. Casey will be 27 YO, it is time to step up. I read that he will be 100% healed from his wrist surgery by opening day. Let's go Casey!
I am ready for Casey Schmitt and Bryce Eldridge to make their presence felt. Not so sure about RF or the Closer positions.
DeleteJavy Lopez said that the reliever situation might be solved internally. There's going to be a lot of competition for the open spots and not necessarily solved with a Luke Jackson or a Trevino type. Javy specifically mentioned Butto, Winn, Brubaker, and Peguero (but not Beck or Seymour, hmmmm) as stepping up.
ReplyDelete