Phillies might get second chance to sign Bo Bichette, but should they take it?

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Phillies might get second chance to sign Bo Bichette, but should they take it? originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Philadelphia Phillies missed out on the chance to sign Bo Bichette to a long-term deal this past offseason, and so far in 2026, that's looked like a problem dodged.

Bichette hasn't been very good for the New York Mets, and even though the Phillies' offense hasn't been good this season, Bichette wouldn't have helped based on his production this season.

But, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the Phillies might be getting a second chance to sign Bichette this upcoming offseason. With Bichette potentially opting out, should the Phillies actually take a chance and sign Bichette?

Should Phillies sign Bo Bichette after Mets report?​

"Teams expected New York Mets third baseman Bo Bichette to opt out of the final two years of his Mets contract after the season, giving clubs like the Philadelphia Phillies a second shot at him," Nightengale writes.

In theory, being able to sign Bichette, a two-time All-Star with a career .289 batting average, would be very appealing for this offense that's starving for quality right-handed hitting.

However, the Phillies should not be eager to pursue Bichette. They dodged a bullet this offseason by the Mets swooping in and signing him to a massive deal. The Phillies shouldn't sign Bichette after being saved from a mistake a year ago.

This season, he has a .236 batting average with a .644 OPS. To put that into perspective, he had an .840 OPS in 2025 for the Toronto Blue Jays, and the first five years of his career, he had an .826 OPS.

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But what makes this Bichette situation all the more concerning is that it's not just a one-off struggle for Bichette. Back in 2024, he posted a .598 OPS and .225 average in 81 games during the worst year of his career.

A strong 2025 helped salvage his free agent value, but his struggles this year should be a lot more concerning for the Phillies than a one-off struggle like 2024 was.

If Bichette does opt out, the Phillies shouldn't pursue him in free agency. Instead, they should explore other infield options to replace Alec Bohm at third base.

Two of the last three years have been a nightmare for Bichette. While it's hard to determine if that's going to be how the rest of his career will go, those two worrying seasons are something that the Phillies should avoid even if he hits free agency next year.

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