""I can't say that we ever thought it was done," Dombrowski said when asked if he'd felt they'd had an agreement in place with Bichette. "We thought we were very close to having a deal done. We thought it was going to happen, but it wasn't done. ... Until you sign a memo of understanding, you don't have a deal done - and we did not sign one of those. It wasn't that we weren't moving toward that direction. It isn't that we didn't think we were going to get there. But we just did not get to that point.""
"The Bichette talks were serious enough that Dombrowski acknowledged informing Realmuto's camp that they were likely to go in another direction and wouldn't be able to make both signings happen at this time. When they got word of Bichette's deal with the Mets, Dombrowski said he was back on the phone with Realmuto and his agent within an hour or so - his only interim call going to owner John Middleton, to keep him apprised of the situation."
"The veteran baseball operations executive conceded that it's a "gut punch" anytime free agent or trade negotiations get to that stage and don't culminate in a deal before adding, "you can't just wallow in what took place" and that he had to simply "shake it off" and continue trying to improve his club."
J.T. Realmuto re-signed with the Phillies following a media session featuring Realmuto, Dave Dombrowski, and Rob Thomson. The Phillies pursued Bo Bichette and came close to a deal but never signed a memo of understanding, leaving negotiations unfinished. The club informed Realmuto's camp that it might go another direction when pursuing Bichette. After Bichette's agreement with the Mets, the Phillies quickly resumed talks with Realmuto and his agent, with only an interim call made to owner John Middleton. The front office described the missed Bichette opportunity as a 'gut punch' but emphasized moving on and rejecting short-term, opt-out-laden contracts for Bichette.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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