Source: Bichette to exercise $42M option to stay with Mets

• Jorge CastilloOct 30, 2026, 01:36 PM ET

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  ESPN baseball reporter. Covered the Washington Wizards from 2014 to 2016 and the Washington Nationals from 2016 to 2018 for The Washington Post before covering the Los Angeles Dodgers and MLB for the Los Angeles Times from 2018 to 2024.

Bo Bichette will exercise his $42 million player option to remain with the New York Mets next season, a source confirmed to ESPN, as an offseason of uncertainty across the majors with a looming lockout kicks off following the conclusion of the World Series.

As it stands, Bichette's $42 million salary for 2027 is one of the six most expensive in the majors. He also holds a $42 million player option for 2028.

Bichette, 28, will return for a second season in Queens after failing to live up to expectations for one of the most disappointing clubs in the majors in 2026. Bichette batted .260 with 18 home runs and a .702 OPS in 160 games. His 96 wRC+ suggests he was four percent below league average at the plate.

New York, after missing out on Kyle Tucker in free agency, signed Bichette to a three-year, $142 million contract in January and converted the two-time All-Star shortstop to third base. The early returns were dismal. Bichette was booed at Citi Field during the season's opening series. He batted .219 with five home runs and a .583 OPS through June while struggling through his defensive transition.

But Bichette, who arrived with a .294 batting average and .806 OPS for his career, rebounded over the final four months of the regular season, batting .284 with 13 home runs and a .772 OPS in 101 games, while improving his defense at his new position.

The Mets still finished 74-88 and in last place in the National League East as injuries to Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor and underperformance from key veterans sidetracked the offense despite encouraging debuts by rookie outfielders Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing. The Mets were firmly out of the postseason picture by July and missed the playoffs for the second straight year despite carrying the second-most expensive payroll in the majors.

The Athletic was the first to report the news of Bichette exercising his player option.