Mets’ Bo Bichette heist from Phillies subtly puts Padres back in trade talks

We’re not sure if anyone had Bo Bichette at third base and Jorge Polanco at first base on their bingo card. Even more so…on the same team. But here we are.

First, the Los Angeles Dodgers swooped in like thieves in the night and snagged Kyle Tucker right out of the Blue Jays and Mets’ orbit. Then the Mets basically said, “Fine,” and did the same thing to the Phillies with Bichette.

Now we’re back in the familiar MLB offseason loop: money and contenders and contenders and money. And if you’re a Padres fan, you’re probably thinking: Cool. What does that have to do with us?

Well…it’s simple. The Mets now have somewhere around eight playable infielders and nowhere near enough comfortable innings to go around.

Bo Bichette to Mets sparks an uneasy infield squeeze the Padres can pounce on

Reports have Bichette landing in New York on a three-year, $126 million deal with opt-outs after each of the first two seasons, and the early plan is for him to shift to third base next to Francisco Lindor.  The New York Post report also floated the idea that Polanco could share first base duties with Mark Vientos. Quite the logjam. 

And no, the Mets aren’t sticking Vientos and Brett Baty out in left field and pretending it’s fine — at least not confidently. So the squeeze is going to show up where it always does: someone with real talent gets pushed to the trade shelf.

That’s exactly the kind of market the Padres have to exploit, especially if they still need a more stable answer at first base and more lineup flexibility.

Mark Vientos (1B/DH):

In 2025, Vientos played 121 games and hit .233 with 17 homers and 61 RBIs.  That line doesn’t scream “finished product.” It screams “change-of-scenery bat” — the kind the Padres can talk themselves into because the raw thump is real, and Petco desperately needs somebody who can punish mistakes.

Brett Baty (3B/2B):

Baty’s 2025 line featured 130 games, .254 average, 18 homers, 50 RBIs.  And Statcast liked what it saw under the hood — 90.7 mph avg exit velo and a 12.8 percent barrel rate in 2025. If the Mets are shifting Bichette to third, Baty is the kind of guy who becomes available not because he failed, but because he got blocked.

Luisangel Acuña (UTIL):

Acuña played 95 games, with a .234/.293/.274 slash line, .567 OPS, and 16 steals. That’s not a finished offensive player — but it is a versatile, athletic piece who could help a Padres roster that loves multi-position options and could still use more speed and defense.

The Mets just paid for a star and created a logjam in the same breath. The Padres don’t need New York to “want” a trade — they need New York to realize it can’t keep everyone fed.

If San Diego is willing to move real pitching (or even just lean on bullpen depth), this is the kind of roster squeeze where you steal a useful everyday piece… while the Mets are still admiring their Bichette receipt.