QUEENS, NY — Bo Bichette might not have been so open to moving away from his natural position at shortstop had it not been for his late introduction to the Toronto Blue Jays’ postseason run last year.
Recovering from a knee injury that had kept him out since September, Bichette made it back in time for the World Series, only to have the defensively superior Andres Gimenez in his spot. He played in the Fall Classic at second base, which helped him realize he would have to advertise himself as either a second baseman, shortstop, or third baseman in free agency this winter.
The Mets came through with the winning bid at three years, $126 million, and will play Bichette at third base in 2026.
“I think all my ego about shortstop was thrown out the window in the World Series,” Bichette said following his introductory press conference at Citi Field on Wednesday. “I just wanted to win. That’s why I did it, and the same applies here.”
It’s that desire to win that helped sell the Mets to Bichette, even if they are coming off a postseason-less 2025 campaign that featured a three-and-a-half-month-long collapse and a turned over roster that is still not complete.
“It was very obvious that I wanted to be a Met. [Owner Steve Cohen and president of baseball operations David Stearns] have put together an organization that is looking to win every single year, has an opportunity to win a World Series every single year, and a roster that backs that up. It’s very exciting to be a part of.”
But the Mets are investing considerable stock in Bichette to help Stearns realize his dream of improving the defense, which is a sizable gamble considering the 27-year-old has not played third base since his travel-ball days in high school. Bichette’s defense at shortstop was declining as it was, and the injured knee was only going to further impact his questionable range.
The hot corner potentially takes some of the burden off those diminished areas, but the intricacies that will ultimately dictate his success are plentiful.
“At shortstop, you need to make some long throws across the diamond. Third base as well,” Bichette began. “There is different positioning, different plays you have to deal with at third base that I’m going to have to get used to and learn, but I think it’s all attainable… Positioning, bunt plays, all of that, just things that I’ve never really had to deal with. A ground ball is a ground ball, and a throw to first base is a throw to first base…
“Just like anything else, it’s gonna take work to be good at something, and I’m willing to put in that work, and we’ll get after it.”
Bichette has begun fielding ground balls at the position, but will further ramp up his transition at spring training, where he is expected to work closely with new bench coach Kai Correa and third-base coach Tim Leiper.
“I think the angles at third base are going to be a lot different,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “The decision-making as soon as the ball is put in play, where he’s going to have to come in, whether he’s going to have to retreat, create those angles. Shortstop is a different angle that you can take from there.”
The corners of the Mets’ infield will be brand-new at their positions in 2026. Stearns brought in career middle-infielder Jorge Polanco on a two-year, $40 million deal to play first base. While he began preparations to play the position last season during pregame work with the Seattle Mariners’ coaching staff, this will be the first time he will actually see game action.
Add Bichette’s mentor and former Blue Jays teammate Marcus Semien, who started his career as a shortstop, and the Mets are going to feature four shortstops in their infield.
“That’s a pretty distinct advantage,” Stearns said. “So I definitely think there’s going to be a learning curve. I’m not trying to dismiss that at all. For both Bo and Jorge, there’s going to be a learning curve, and a majority of that is going to be where to be on certain plays, frankly, some things that may not be completely perceptible. We’re probably going to make a mistake or two, but we’re also going to have elite range around the infield.”
