Mar 30, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; New York Mets third baseman Bo Bichette (19) reacts after hitting a one run single against the St. Louis Cardinals during the fifth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The majority of professional athletes would go on the defensive when asked about being booed by their own fans. Bo Bichette wore it, and with it, ingratiated himself with his new team and supporters.
The former Blue Jays star, who joined the Mets on a three-year, $126 million deal to take over at third base, began the season in a 1-for-14 skid with eight strikeouts. After an 0-for-5 showing with three punchouts in Sunday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, the jeers rained down from Citi Field.
He had never been booed by the collective like that in Toronto. But instead of bristling at the question on Sunday evening, he took ownership.
“If anything, I thought it took too long,” Bichette said of the jeers. “But I get it. I thought my at-bats were terrible, too.”
That was as graceful a way to pass your first big New York test, and the 28-year-old knew from the jump that calling Queens home for at least the next few seasons would present these sorts of obstacles.
“I’m not unaware that New York is a challenge,” he said during his introductory press conference back in December. “I’m not shying away from it. I’m ready for it, and I’m excited for it. These fans hold you accountable, and I think as a payer wanting to be your best self, that’s only a positive.”
Rather than trying to play damage control with his mouth, as many others have done in this town, Bichette started quieting early concerns with his best game yet at the dish with the Mets on Monday night in their 4-2 series-opening win in St. Louis against the Cardinals.
He drove in two runs on the night, including a go-ahead, searing RBI single to right in the top of the fifth inning to break a 1-1 deadlock. It could have been more when he smacked a sharp liner to right field with the bases loaded and two outs in the sixth inning, but the 99.1-mph chance was snared by St. Louis’ Jordan Walker.
“I just wanted to get back on track and compete. I felt ike I did a better job of that, but there’s still more to go,” Bichette told reporters in St. Luis after the game (h/t SNY). “Just getting back to basics. Really, the most important thing is getting out there on the field, getting in the moment, and competing.”
Monday night was the first true showing of what makes Bichette one of the top spray hitters in the game. At his best, he can constantly drive the ball out to right field.
“As a competitor, I expect to be in a good place all the time,” he said. “I don’t know if that’s a sign of anything. I just want to be in a position to compete in every at-bat.”
He will do that more often than not if he is able to continue moving away from the mindset of trying to do too much, which plagued him during his opening series at his new home over the weekend. Regardless, it was not going to keep him down for too long.
“I’m not surprised,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “I thought he was more under control, not trying to do too much. Even the one he lined out to right field, that was a pretty good at-bat there. That’s good to see. When he’s doing that, those are some good signs.”
For more on Bo Bichette and the Mets, visit AMNY.com