MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins offensive lineman Bayron Matos remained under observation at the Ryder Trauma Care Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital on Thursday, one day after he was transported there by helicopter from training camp with an undisclosed injury.
The Dolphins said in a statement that Matos “has movement in all extremities and is in stable condition,” but they did not provide any other details of his injury. The team also did not say how long Matos would be under the care of doctors.
“It’s a really heartbreaking part of the game,” fellow Dolphins offensive lineman Austin Jackson said of the injury, which occurred in the final minutes of Day 1 of training camp. “Very tough.”
The 24-year-old Matos was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and played his college football at New Mexico and South Florida. He was undrafted in 2024 and signed with the Dolphins as a free agent through the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program, an initiative that gives athletes from countries outside the U.S. a chance to play in the league.
Matos, who signed a reserve/future contract in January, had spent time with Miami’s practice squad over the past year.
Matos only started playing football a few years ago. He grew up playing baseball and basketball, and after moving to Tennessee for high school, popped up on the radar of hoops coaches. Matos wound up redshirting and playing one season for New Mexico before transferring to South Florida, where he continued playing basketball and walked onto the football team.
The 6-foot-7, 334-pound Matos started off as a defensive lineman and special teams player before switching to offensive line.
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FILE - Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Bayron Matos (79) protects the passer during a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Peter Joneleit, File(
FILE - Miami Dolphins tackle Bayron Matos (79) stands on the sidelines before the start of a preseason NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Doug Murray, File(
NEW YORK (AP) — Bo Bichette and the New York Mets agreed Friday to a $126 million, three-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was subject to a successful physical and had not been announced.
A two-time All-Star shortstop with the Toronto Blue Jays, Bichette will move to third base with the Mets, who have Francisco Lindor at shortstop. Bichette has never played a professional game at the hot corner.
Bichette can opt out of the deal after the first or second season to become a free agent again. He would receive $47 million for one year and $89 million for two years, the person said.
The deal does not contain any deferred money and Bichette gets a full no-trade provision. His $42 million average annual value ties for the sixth-highest in baseball history.
It was the latest big development in an eventful offseason for the Mets, who angered fans by letting popular slugger Pete Alonso and star closer Edwin Díaz leave in free agency. President of baseball operations David Stearns also traded two other stalwarts, outfielder Brandon Nimmo and versatile veteran Jeff McNeil — both homegrown players.
New York signed closer Devin Williams to a $51 million, three-year contract, infielder Jorge Polanco to a $40 million, two-year deal and reliever Luke Weaver to a $22 million, two-year agreement.
Although he lacks Alonso's prodigious power, Bichette is a proven hitter with lightning-fast hands and a penchant for line-drive doubles. He would give the Mets a dangerous right-handed bat to help complement lefty slugger Juan Soto.
Because of his inexperience at third, however, Bichette becomes the latest question mark in the field for New York even though Stearns has insisted the team must improve its defense and is determined to do so.
Polanco has one pitch of major league experience at first base, where he and Mark Vientos, previously a third baseman, are the leading candidates to replace Alonso.
New York had planned to start Brett Baty at third, where he provides a strong glove. Baty, who also has experience at second base, is viewed as a versatile defender who could see time in the outfield and perhaps at first.
Or, the Mets could look to trade Baty for pitching or outfield help. Gold Glove winner Marcus Semien is set to play second after arriving from Texas in a November trade for Nimmo.
Bichette batted .311 with 18 home runs, 94 RBIs and an .840 OPS in 139 games for the Blue Jays last year. He homered off Shohei Ohtani in Game 7 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Late last season, Bichette sprained his left knee in a Sept. 6 collision with New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells, keeping the infielder out of the lineup until the World Series. He returned for Game 1 against the Dodgers and played second base for the first time in six years.
Bichette led the American League in hits in 2021 and 2022. He finished second in the major leagues in batting average last season to Yankees slugger Aaron Judge.
Bichette turned down a $22,025,000 qualifying offer from the Blue Jays in November, so they would receive an extra draft pick in July after the fourth round if he completes his deal with the Mets.
New York would forfeit its second- and fifth-highest draft picks, along with $1 million in 2027 international signing bonus pool allocation.
Bichette was one of the last remaining big-name hitters on the free agent market after outfielder Kyle Tucker spurned the Mets and agreed Thursday to a $240 million, four-year contract with the Dodgers.
Bichette, who turns 28 in March, has spent his entire career with the Blue Jays since they selected him in the second round of the 2016 amateur draft. He is a .294 career hitter with 111 home runs and an .806 OPS in 748 major league games.
He is a son of former big league slugger Dante Bichette, a four-time All-Star outfielder.
Also Friday, the Mets claimed infielder Tsung-Che Cheng off waivers from Tampa Bay.
AP Baseball Writers Ronald Blum and David Brandt and AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston contributed to this report.
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FILE - Toronto Blue Jays' Bo Bichette celebrates his three run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the third inning in Game 7 of baseball's World Series, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, in Toronto. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)
FILE - New York Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns responds to questions during a news conference about MLB trade deadline deals, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith, File)
