Toronto might be considered the New York City of Canada, but Bo Bichette is under no pretenses that playing for the Blue Jays is comparable to playing for one of the baseball teams in the Big Apple.
“I don’t think anything can prepare you for New York,” Bichette said.
He’s not wrong. Toronto might be the center of the universe in Canada, but baseball rarely upstages hockey up north, and that’s especially true in what is not only the country’s largest city, but the largest metropolitan area as well. Bichette could consult Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews for advice on how to handle the pressure of playing in a city that seemingly orbits around its team, but even that’s not the same.
The 27-year-old Bichette is undaunted.
“I said earlier to someone else, I said, ‘You know, I’m not unaware that New York is a challenge, but I’m not shying away from it,’” Bichette said. “I’m ready for it, and I’m excited for it. These fans hold you accountable and I think, as a player, wanting to be your best self, that’s only a positive.”
The Mets introduced their new third baseman in a formal press conference Wednesday afternoon at Citi Field. This was the easy part — putting on a new uniform and talking about why he chose to sign a three-year, $126 million contract with the Mets. Now comes the hard part: Moving to third base, a position he hasn’t played since his travel ball days in St. Petersburg, Fla.
A career shortstop, Bichette played second base during the World Series a few months ago, a position he had played in the minor leagues only a handful of times. Yet in the biggest series of his career and on the game’s biggest stage, he not only took on the challenge, but he excelled at it. After that experience, it became less about playing a certain position and more about the fit when considering where to play next.
Bichette, who by all accounts is an extremely diligent and dedicated worker, just wants to help a team get back to the top of the mountain, even if that means playing a new position.
“I think all my ego about shortstop was thrown out the window in the World Series — I just wanted to win,” Bichette said. “That’s why I did it, and the same applies here.”
The fit with the Mets might not have been obvious immediately, but it became apparent once the two parties started speaking.
Offensively, Bichette blends power, speed and the ability to hit with runners in scoring position. Without Pete Alonso’ big right-handed bat, the Mets were going to have to rely on switch-hitting Jorge Polanco to protect Juan Soto in the order. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns has downplayed the need for one specific hitter to play behind Soto during the offseason, saying the length of the order matters more than just two hitters in the 3-4 spots. While that’s not exactly untrue, the Mets’ struggles to hit with runners on base last season became a problem.
It’s a problem that could be solved by Bichette, who has a career average of .330 with runners in scoring position and an OPS of .904. Last season, he had the fourth-best average in baseball with runners on base (.329), the third-best OPS with runners in scoring position (1.053), and hit .306 with a .966 OPS, five home runs and 35 RBI with runners in scoring position and two outs.
“He’s one of the most complete right-handed hitters in the sport,” Stearns said. “He has incredible knowledge of the game — an incredible aptitude. Anyone who has watched him for a long time sees that very, very clearly. And he intensely wants to win.”
He not only had the type of bat the Mets needed, but also the character the club desired. They asked him if he would be willing to play third base. Francisco Lindor has shortstop locked up, and the club acquired Marcus Semien, a former teammate and friend of Bichette’s in Toronto, to play second base, in December. Bichette agreed to move, and the Mets put a plan in place.
Brett Baty, who already plays second and third base, will start working on reps in left field and at first base. Luisangel Acuña became the odd infielder out and was traded to the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night for center fielder Luis Robert Jr. Polanco, another middle infielder, will move to first base, with Mark Vientos backing him up and getting plenty of time as the DH.
The entire theme of the offseason has been “run prevention,” and somehow the Mets have ended up bringing in two players to play new positions and an infield alignment with four natural shortstops. It’s odd, yes, but Stearns thinks it will be a “tremendous advantage.”
“We’re probably going to make a mistake or two,” Stearns said. “But we’re also going to have elite range around the infield.”
Bichette wants to be the best in order to beat the best. He came close enough in October that he knows what it takes, and sees an opportunity to do that with the Mets.
“To be a part of a team with some really great players, I think it can only make me better,” he said.
