Phillies’ Dave Dombrowski admits ‘gut punch’ after Mets swipe Bo Bichette from him

Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski called the New York Mets signing of Bo Bichette a “gut punch,” saying he believed a deal was close. The Mets signed the 27-year-old shortstop to a three-year, $126 million contract with annual opt-outs after the Phillies offered a seven-year, $200 million deal.

Dombrowski said the Phillies were “close” to landing Bichette, a two-time All-Star who hit .311 with 18 home runs in 2025 before a knee injury. Despite being widely favored and meeting with him on January 12, Bichette chose the Mets after New York lost Kyle Tucker to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“I did think we were going to get a deal done. We were close,” Dombrowski said, per USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. “It was a gut punch. But until you have a signed memo of understanding, you don’t have a deal.”

Despite the recent setback, he believes that the Phillies are still in good shape.

“I still feel great about our club,” Dombrowski added.

The Mets plan to play Bichette at third base alongside Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, and Marcus Semien, giving an already strong offense a big improvement. The deal averages $42 million per year, shocking rivals and showing Mets owner Steve Cohen’s willingness to spend while the Phillies hesitated.

Philly’s front office was left empty-handed, feeling misled after what seemed like a handshake agreement fell through. Radio 97.5 The Fanatic host John Kincade has made it clear that he isn’t impressed, as he criticized Dombrowski.

“Dave Dombrowski Fooled Us Again,” Kincade said. “Well, stupid money is spending 45 million dollars on JT Realmuto. It’s a stupid contract, so we’ve reunited the Golden Girls. This team has not gotten any better,” he further added.

Dave Dombrowski Fooled Us Again #phillies #mlb #baseball @JohnKincade pic.twitter.com/2ao36FWwUa

— 97.5 The Fanatic (@975TheFanatic) January 16, 2026

The Phillies quickly moved to re-sign J.T. Realmuto for three years and $45 million, but fans were disappointed that the team did not make bigger upgrades beyond re-signing Kyle Schwarber.

The recent loss of Bichette shows weakness in the Phillies’ front office’s ability to move swiftly when it comes to prime targets. Meanwhile, the former Blue Jay joining a division rival makes the setback even harder to swallow as the 2026 season approaches.

With Cody Bellinger still available on the market, Philadelphia could make up for missing out on landing Bichette. Time is running out, and Bellinger won’t stay available for long, so the Phillies need to act quickly.

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