The Philadelphia Phillies thought they had Bo Bichette - until they didn't. The rival New York Mets stole Bichette despite a cordial final meeting in Philadelphia.

The New York Mets signing former Toronto Blue Jays infielder Bo Bichette to a three-year, $126 million deal last week was massive for several reasons. The most

The Phillies pivoted their focus on veteran catcher J.T. Realmuto after failing to reach an agreement with Bo Bichette. Philadelphia's three-year, $45 million contract with Realmuto nets $15 million a year plus a max $5 million in award bonuses.

There was a brief time last week when the Phillies believed Bo Bichette was coming to Philadelphia -- and J.T. Realmuto was headed elsewhere. So, just how close was all of that to happening? "Well, I can't say that we ever thought it was done,

The Phillies gave Bichette the offer he wanted: seven years, $200 million. But the Mets swooped in with a shorter-term, higher-salary offer. “It’s a gut punch,” said Dave Dombrowski.

Former Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. calls Bichette signing "unreasonable" as the Mets scrambled after losing Kyle Tucker to Dodgers

Even without Bo Bichette or Kyle Tucker in the fold, the Blue Jays boast enviable depth that will make for some difficult lineup decisions.