When the New York Mets signed Bo Bichette during the offseason, the expectation was enormous. They were acquiring one of baseball’s premier offensive shortstops, a two-time All-Star who had established himself as a cornerstone of the Toronto Blue Jays and one of the most coveted bats available on the market. The Mets committed three years and $126 million to Bichette, betting that his proven track record would help elevate a club with postseason ambitions.
But the investment looked questionable for much of the first half. Bichette endured one of the worst stretches of his professional career, struggling to find consistency and failing to provide the production New York expected. Extended slumps became a recurring theme, and as the losses mounted, questions surrounding the signing only grew louder.
Rhona Wise-Imagn Images
But after an abysmal start to life in Queens, Bichette is finally beginning to resemble the player the Mets thought they were getting. And Friday’s game provided the clearest evidence yet.
In his 69th appearance for New York, Bichette delivered the defining performance of his Mets tenure, powering the club to a 7-5 victory over the Atlanta Braves (45-24) at Citi Field. He blasted a solo home run, added a grand slam, scored two runs and matched a career high in RBIs (6). His performance accounted for nearly all of New York’s offense and removed much of the lingering doubt surrounding his recent hot streak.
After the game, Bichette offered a typically understated reaction when asked about the moment.
“I mean, it was a good feeling, for sure,” Bichette said (via The Athletic’s Will Sammon). “But I just want to keep on winning.”
Despite a shaky season, Bichette’s career résumé suggests much better days should be ahead. Entering the season, Bichette owned a career .294 batting average and .806 OPS, yet through 69 games he is hitting .232 with eight home runs and a .635 OPS
The Mets remain well short of where they expected to be. Friday’s win improved them to 31-38, leaving them last in the National League East and 14 games behind the Braves. Even so, their two-game winning streak has provided some optimism that the season is not yet beyond saving.
If New York is going to make a legitimate push during the second half, it will need Bichette to continue producing at this level.
The Mets will look to build on Friday’s win when they continue their series against Atlanta on Saturday. With the Braves still owning the best record in baseball and holding a commanding division lead, another strong showing from Bichette would go a long way toward proving that his resurgence is not a fluke.
