Bo Bichette hears boos from Mets fans as strikeouts mount

NEW YORK — In just his third outing for the New York Mets, Bo Bichette encountered his inaugural round of boos from the Citi Field home fans during the seventh inning.

He admitted his surprise that the negative reception hadn’t come earlier.

“Frankly, I thought it was overdue,” Bichette commented following the Mets’ 4-3, 10-inning defeat against the Pittsburgh Pirates. “I also believed my plate appearances were abysmal.”

Across his initial three games, Bichette’s performance stands at a concerning 1-for-14 with eight strikeouts – an unexpected output for a seasoned batter known for exceptional contact. His strikeout rate of 14.5% last year with the Toronto Blue Jays placed him in the 86th percentile league-wide. However, during this recent three-game set versus the Pirates, that rate surged past 50%.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza observed, “I believe he’s seeing favorable pitches early in counts, and then opponents are coaxing him into chases, particularly high in the strike zone. He’s wired to swing. He’ll step up there and attack the ball. He remains a skilled hitter.”

The 28-year-old Bichette inked a three-year, $126 million deal this offseason, which includes two opt-out provisions that essentially structure it as three single-year agreements, plus a $40 million signing bonus. Prior to this, he had exclusively played shortstop for seven seasons with the Blue Jays and had no professional experience at third base.

During Sunday’s game, he admitted that adapting to third base occasionally demands greater mental exertion than his previous defensive roles. He dedicated additional time before Sunday’s match to fielding ground balls, following a throwing error in Saturday’s fourth inning—an error he blamed on hurrying his actions. Despite this, he reports feeling “quite comfortable” in his new spot.

Bichette, however, confessed he hadn’t anticipated the positional change would also impact his batting.

“I believe I need to be more dedicated, more focused on the process,” Bichette stated. “I definitely catch myself attempting to force a big play out there. So, I simply need to revert to my usual self.”

Bichette revealed he had longed for such a pivotal moment since signing in January amid the Mets’ significant offseason roster changes. He conceded that he hadn’t foreseen this eagerness to perform early having a detrimental effect on his play.

“It’s early, but equally, there hasn’t been much in my performance thus far to celebrate,” Bichette remarked. “While we can discuss it being early, we will certainly work things out.”

Late on Sunday, Bichette was presented with two opportunities to seize his anticipated moment.

With the game knotted at 2, two outs recorded, and runners positioned on second and third, Pittsburgh’s formidable left-hander Mason Montgomery stood on the mound. A base hit would have provided the Mets the necessary advantage to secure a season-opening sweep.

However, Bichette struck out on just three pitches, swinging through a 100 mph fastball to conclude the inning, thereby eliciting his initial experience of New York’s disapproval. Subsequently, in the 10th inning, following Francisco Lindor being tagged out at home plate while trying to score from first to equalize, Bichette approached the plate with the tying run at second and one out. He grounded out to the shortstop.

Soon after, both the game and the Mets’ brief home series to kick off the season concluded. Their upcoming schedule includes a six-game road trip to St. Louis and San Francisco.

Might a road trip offer some relief?

“Perhaps,” Bichette responded, “but I still need to learn how to hit effectively here regardless.”