Toronto fans aren’t the only ones disappointed to see former Blue Jays star Bo Bichette pack his bags for the Big Apple.
Philadelphia Phillies general manager Dave Dombrowski said on Tuesday the team was disappointed to miss out on the all-star free agent, who signed a three-year, $126-million US deal with the New York Mets on Friday.
Unlike the Jays, however, the Phillies believed that an agreement to add Bichette was imminent.
“I did think we were going to get a deal done … We were close,” Dombrowski said at a news conference on Tuesday. “It was a gut punch … but until you have a signed memo of understanding, you don’t have a deal.”
Phillies reportedly ‘livid’ after being spurned
The Phillies and Bichette were believed to have agreed in principle to a seven-year deal worth $200 million US as of Thursday night.
However, after the Mets missed out on top free-agent target Kyle Tucker – who joined the two-time reigning champion Los Angeles Dodgers on a four-year deal worth $240 million — New York quickly and aggressively pivoted to Bichette, hammering out a three-year, $126-million deal by Friday afternoon.
Bichette’s contract with the Mets carries a higher average annual value, while also containing opt-outs after each of the first two seasons.
Earlier reports said that some within the Phillies organization were “livid” over seeing Bichette spurn the team for its NL East rival.
“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,” MLB.com reporter Todd Zolecki said Saturday on The Phillies Show.
“It’s kind of a rug-pulled-from-under-them situation.”
Tucker signing triggered ‘panic’ deals?
Reporter Jim Salisbury added that the team had “legit, real confidence” that Bichette would sign with them after a meeting between the team and the two-time all-star reportedly had gone well.
“It feels like the Lufthansa heist at LaGuardia from Goodfellas,” Salisbury joked, referencing the 1990 Martin Scorsese-directed crime thriller centred around an airport robbery.
Former Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. also said he believed the Tucker signing triggered some “panic” with the Boston Red Sox signing ex-Philadelphia pitcher Ranger Suarez and the Mets landing Bichette.
“As if the Phillies fans needed to have another reason to be pissed off at the Los Angeles Dodgers, they are the wild cards here,” Amaro said.
“The Dodgers signed Tucker, that was a target for the Mets and a target possibly for the Red Sox. Ranger goes to the Red Sox on a panic sign and I believe, in my heart of hearts, it was another panic sign by the Mets to sign Bo Bichette and to do what they did.”
Amidst the free-agency frenzy, the Phillies brought back all-star catcher JT Realmuto on a three-year, $45-million deal.