Morning Briefing: Bo Bichette Meeting With Philadelphia Phillies
Good morning, Mets fans!
The Phillies are emerging as a serious suitor for Bo Bichette, with Matt Gelb, of The Athletic, reporting that Philadelphia has a meeting scheduled with the star infielder as their offseason priorities continue to shift. Bichette is set to hold a video meeting with Phillies officials in the next few days.
Philadelphia would also be competing in a crowded field. Several big-market teams are tracking Bichette closely, with the Cubs and Red Sox both in the market for an infielder, whether that ends up being Bichette or Alex Bregman. The Dodgers are another team to watch, as they could view Bichette as a second-base option under a shorter-term, higher-AAV contract. Meanwhile, the Yankees could enter the mix as well if they are unable to bring Cody Bellinger back.
Now onto the morning briefing!
Latest Mets News
Thursday marked the deadline for teams and players to submit proposed arbitration salaries. When agreements were not reached, the cases were set to be decided in hearings before spring training to establish players’ 2026 salaries. Here’s our story on the seven Mets who accepted their salaries.
There will be no Mets fan fest at Citi Field this winter. According to Newsday, the organization reiterated that Amazin’ Day was never intended to be an annual event, though the team has said it could return again in the future.
The Mets have signed right-hander Jun-Seok Shim to a minor league deal, per our own Mike Mayer. Shim, 21, was considered one of the top pitchers in the 2023 international free agent class and received a $750,000 bonus from Pittsburgh before being traded to Miami and later released. His upside remains intriguing despite an injury-plagued start to his pro career.
The Mets outrighted Ji Hwan Bae to Triple-A Syracuse. Combined with Drew Romo being removed from the 40-man roster, the Mets now sit at 38 players on the 40-man. Romo was claimed off waivers by the White Sox.
The organization also received praise on the development front, with Lance Brozdowski saying on Foul Territory that the Mets currently boast the best pitching development system in baseball, citing both strong personnel decisions and improved minor league instruction.
Latest MLB News
Thursday marked the deadline for players and teams to exchange arbitration figures, an annual milestone that typically resulted in a wave of one-year contracts and a few multi-year agreements. All but 18 arbitration-eligible players ultimately reached deals. MLB Trade Rumors has all of the moves tracked from the deadline.
Front-office movement continues around the league, as longtime Twins GM Thad Levine has joined the Brewers as a special advisor to baseball operations, per MLB.com.
Former Met and right-handed reliever Chris Devenski has agreed to a minor league deal with the Pirates, according to The Athletic.
A major arbitration storyline is developing in Detroit, where two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal filed for $32 million while the Tigers countered at $19 million. ESPN reports the $13 million gap is the largest in arbitration history.
The Yankees reportedly made a multi-year offer to Cody Bellinger north of $30 million per year, though Bellinger’s camp is seeking a seven-year deal, per The Athletic.
All nine MLB teams tied to Main Street Sports have terminated their broadcast agreements amid ongoing uncertainty, according to ESPN, leaving the company and the clubs in a holding pattern for now.
Latest on MMO
Ari Berkowitz writes in part one about how the Mets can finish their offseason.
Robert Colonna profiles Freddy Peralta in the latest trade profile. He also writes about the multiple Mets prospects praised in the latest MLB Pipeline Executive poll.
This Date in Mets History
Born On This Date: Edwin Uceta (1998), Phil Mankowski (1953), Ralph Terry (1936).
2005: The Mets finalized a deal with star outfielder Carlos Beltrán.
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