Thursday, November 5, 2026 — one infield question is answered, and the Mets’ winter plan comes into focus.
Bo Bichette is staying in Queens. The infielder chose not to opt out of the final two years of the three-year, $126 million contract he signed with the Mets, exercising a $42 million player option for 2027.
What It Means for the Infield
Bichette’s decision gives the Mets stability in an infield that already includes Francisco Lindor, fresh off winning the Roberto Clemente Award. It also changes their shopping list. According to The Athletic, the Mets are now less inclined to pursue Japanese third baseman Teruaki Sato, the NPB Triple Crown winner (.306, 39 homers, 106 RBIs) who was just made available through the posting system.
The Real Priority: Pitching
New York’s focus is on starting pitching — and the biggest name on the market. The Mets are widely viewed as one of the two likeliest landing spots for Tarik Skubal, along with the Dodgers.
But there is an internal tension. David Stearns has reportedly been reluctant to hand out a long-term deal to a pitcher; his recent free-agent pitching contracts have been short, including Sean Manaea (three years, $75 million) and Clay Holmes (three years, $38 million). Owner Steve Cohen, by contrast, is expected to push for Skubal. The Mets haven’t decided how far they’ll go, two years into Juan Soto’s contract, and they also need bullpen and infield help.
A Season to Forget
The Mets need a strong winter. They fired Carlos Mendoza in June, sold off Freddy Peralta, A.J. Minter, Clay Holmes and Luke Weaver at the deadline and missed the playoffs. Andy Green is now the full-time manager, and RosterResource projected about $217 million in 2027 commitments before arbitration — well below this year’s $357 million, leaving plenty of room to spend.
The Clock
The Mets’ timeline is complicated by labor uncertainty. The CBA expires December 1, and a lockout is widely expected. Some in the industry believe Skubal could sign as early as next week’s GM Meetings.
The Read
With Bichette locked in, the Mets can concentrate their resources where they need them most: the rotation. Whether Stearns’ caution or Cohen’s ambition wins out on Skubal will define New York’s offseason.
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