Reese Kaplan -- Following Brutal Start Bo Bichette Is Now On Track

Going back in Mets history with the exceptions of David Wright, Howard Johnson and Edgardo Alfonzo the third base position in Mets history has been something of a black hole.  There were a few single season inspirations from others but like Mark Vientos has shown you need to be able to replicate productivity and not embarrass yourself with defense. 

Then came Bo Bichette.  To many people his signature on a Mets contract came immediately after losing out on Kyle Tucker to the Dodgers.  The Mets needed both to save face and to reinforce their suspect offense by landing another All Star level hitter to buttress what they already had in place with guys like Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor.  Given that they no longer had Pete Alonso at first base and there were question marks at other locations around the diamond it seemed to make a lot of sense to take quick action.

As the season began the greatest concerns most in the organization and fan base had was how Bichette would adjust to moving away from his familiar home at shortstop to the hot corner which had suffered through the likes of Vientos, Brett Baty and others without providing the team with the performance they both needed and desired.  As a career .290 hitter with decent power he was going to help be a place setter for the RBI guys in the lineup. 

Unfortunately, it wasn’t the defense that caught everyone’s attention during late March, April, May and into early June.  The $42 million hitter was struggling to stay above the Mendoza line and his play at third base was way down the list of issues on anyone’s mind.  Coupled with the initial struggles of rookie right fielder Carson Benge, injuries to newcomers Jorge Polanco and Luis Robert, and virtually no offensive output from veteran Marcus Semien, the Mets could ill afford to have another “noffensive” player. 

Fortunately for the club not only has Benge righted himself so well that he could be a light contender for Rookie of the Year and during the rest of June, July and August Bichette has reminded people of the player everyone expected him to be (most recently evidenced by a five-hit game).  In fact, Bichette’s unusual offensive journey right now has him exceeding Kyle Tucker in batting average, home runs, RBIs and slugging.  He’s even edged Tucker in WAR though neither have numbers to rival All Stars. 

So now comes the big question about 2027.  Indications are that Bichette is indeed planning to return due to pride in showing his employer that he is indeed worth the inflated paycheck and given the tiny market that would exist for an opt out free agent who would give up a guaranteed $84 million in money from Steve Cohen in the quest of more elsewhere.  No one here would be upset to see Bichette return and since the salary is not directly coming out of our own pockets it is of little consequence to Mets fans. 

Now there are no guarantees about anything and it is still possible that Bichette could leave.  If so then the Mets would find themselves back in the unfortunately familiar position of searching for a third baseman.  Yes, Ronny Mauricio could play there but it is telling that during this horrific season he’s not been considered even as a regular bench option.  Mark Vientos and Brett Baty have each had four seasons to establish themselves and failed to do so.  It would seem that a new third baseman would have to come from outside the organization. 

So for now at least probably get accustomed to Bo Bichette manning third during 2027...until this same dance replays with the option as we prepare for the 2028 season.