The Philadelphia Phillies believed they were closing in on one of the most significant free-agent additions of the offseason when talks with Bo Bichette reached a critical stage. Momentum had quietly built inside the organization, and optimism followed a strong long-term offer that appeared to align with the club’s vision.
That confidence unraveled quickly when Bichette chose the New York Mets, opting for a shorter contract with a higher annual value rather than Philadelphia’s seven-year proposal. The sudden pivot caught the Phillies off guard and triggered frustration at the highest levels of the front office.
What followed was not merely disappointment, but a sense that negotiations had taken an unexpected turn at the final moment, reshaping how the organization viewed the entire process.
Phillies’ reaction
According to Todd Zolecki on The Phillies Show podcast, the internal reaction was intense once word surfaced that Bichette would not be heading to Philadelphia. “The word livid was used in terms of the reaction to the news that Bo did not end up coming to the Phillies and went to the Mets,” Zolecki explained.
Bo Bichette reacts after a plate appearance. Emilee Chinn/Getty Images
Did the Phillies believe the deal was already in place?
see also
NY Yankees reportedly willing to offer Cody Bellinger something extra beyond two opt-out clauses
Jim Salisbury, speaking on the same podcast, reinforced that sense of expectation inside the organization. “I sense legit, real confidence that the Phillies thought they were in a good place and were going to bring this thing home,” Salisbury said, adding that the eventual outcome left “great disappointment within the front office.”
SurveyShould the Phillies have altered their offer to keep Bo Bichette from the Mets?
Should the Phillies have altered their offer to keep Bo Bichette from the Mets?
already voted 0 people
