Playing in the Big Apple isn’t for every baseball player. However, New York Mets infielder Bo Bichette is more than up for the challenge of playing in such a demanding market and fan base.
New York and Bichette agreed to a three-year, $126 million contract, with player opt-out clauses after the first and second seasons, per ESPN. Moreover, the outlet notes that the contract does not include any deferred payments, giving it a straight average annual value of $42 million.
On Jan. 21, the Mets officially presented their new free-agent signing, who will likely be playing at third base. Bichette comes over from the Toronto Blue Jays, where he played in a major Canadian market. Still, New York is on another level.
As a result, Bichette is embracing what not many players get to experience: Playing in New York, with all the good and bad that comes with it, depending on how a player performs.
“This is pretty cool,” Bichette told reporters on Jan. 21 (h/t SNY). “I mean, luckily, I felt a little prepared for it being in the World Series. So I was like, well, ‘I don’t know if it can be bigger than that.’ But now this is really cool. And I mean, playing in New York is a challenge. I’m not unaware of that. I’m not shying away from it. And I’m excited to take it on.”
During his time with the Blue Jays, Bichette hit .294 with 904 hits, 111 homers, 437 RBIs, and 438 runs scored in 748 games, per StatMuse.
Bo Bichette Talks Decision to Join Mets
Moreover, Bichette went into detail about what led to his decision to join the Mets amid talks with other teams during his free-agent period. Along with New York, Bichette was linked to the Philadelphia Phillies and potentially re-signing with the Blue Jays. Nonetheless, he chose the Mets and began a new chapter in New York.
“A lot of several conversations with teams, several good conversations, but with a lot of prayer and conversations with my family and my agents and even some friends, came to the conclusion that it was very obvious that I wanted to be a Met,” Bichette told reporters (h/t SNY).
“Mr. [Steve] Cohen and 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 the city, one of the best cities in the world, maybe the best city in the world, fans, some of the best fans in the world. All of that is something I’ve always wanted to be a part of. Excited to be here and excited to be a Met.”
Bo Bichette Is Ready to Play Third Base
Additionally, Bichette made it clear where he will play next season, noting that he’s open to playing third base as part of the Mets’ infield, which features Francisco Lindor at shortstop and Marcus Semien at second base.
“I was open to doing anything if it felt like the place I needed to be,” Bichette said about playing third base (h/t SNY). “Like I said, it became very clear that I wanted to be a Met.”
Bichette played second base during the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, so he’s needed to be flexible, and now the infielder will embark on potentially playing a new position in 2026.
Mets’ Bo Bichette Doesn’t Hold Back on Playing in New York