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When this season ends, Bo Bichette will have a decision to make.
The New York Mets' high-profile offseason signing built in an opt-out to his contract that he can activate after this campaign. If Bichette wants to return to free agency, he can do so.
The expectation, even as Bichette struggles a bit this season, is that he'll still plan to do that.
"Teams expect New York Mets third baseman Bo Bichette to opt out of the final two years of his Mets contract after the season," USA Today's Bob Nightengale wrote in a new article on Sunday.
Bichette left the Blue Jays to sign a three-year, $126 million deal with the Mets, but with the opt-outs built in, it really becomes a year-over-year decision for him.
If he opts out, Nightengale names a possible landing spot: the Philadelphia Phillies.
"(It gives) clubs like the Philadelphia Phillies a second shot at him," Nightengale wrote.
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It's not without negative potential for Bichette. He hasn't necessarily hit well enough to earn himself a raise in the offseason ahead.
And if there's any risk of a lockout, that could make it even worse.
"It could be a massive gamble for Bichette considering he’s still owed $79 million," Nightengale writes. "He is earning $2 million this year after already being paid a $40 million signing bonus, and if he opts out, he will be paid an additional $5 million."
Bichette surely assumed this would be his path. He wouldn't have built in those opt-out clauses otherwise.
It might still be worth re-assessing his options, but if he sticks with the plan, maybe he'll end up at an NL East rival of the Mets.
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