Mets need Bo Bichette to turn things around, but June could be a bear

Since Bo Bichette signed his three-year ($126 million) contract with the New York Mets in the offseason, he has been a disappointment. Through 59 games, Bichette has batted .219 (129th best in MLB) with a .583 OPS, which is lower than his .598 OPS (career-worst) in 2024 through 81 games. 

Bichette's performance at the dish has also carried over to the field, as he has been a negative defensive runs saved player at third base (-8 DRS in 36 games) and his primary position of shortstop (-11 DRS in 27 games).

As the calendar turns to June, the Mets are slowly watching their season slip further away -- the Mets are 26-33 but finished May with an over .500 record (15-12) -- but things can change if Bichette can turn things around. 

The New York Mets need Bo Bichette to turn things around, but June could be another trying month

If the Mets are to try to turn their season around, which seems unlikely, Bichette needs to start producing like the All-Star (two-time, 2021 and 2023) he has been in his career. According to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo, Bichette had shown signs of life in May, pointing to his three home runs against the Washington Nationals in a two-game stretch (May 18-19) and having three hits in six at-bats versus the Cincinnati Reds as signs he could be turning a corner. 

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"The bottom-line numbers still look bad for Bichette since signing a three-year, $126 million contract in January," wrote DiComo. "His May was roughly as unproductive as his April, though Bichette at least showed significant signs of life toward the end of the month, homering thrice in a two-game stretch in Washington and adding a three-hit game a week later. It’s still not peak production for Bichette, but it’s at least closer to the player the Mets thought they were getting. Perhaps hitting in front of white-hot Juan Soto will help Bichette catch fire himself." 

Even though Bichette showed some signs of life in his bat, the status quo could remain, as the 28-year-old has not produced in June the past two seasons. In 18 games played in June 2024, Bichette batted .194 with a .529 OPS and struck out 16 times in 67 at-bats, but did slightly better last June, batting .259 with a .687 OPS and striking out 19 times in 112 at-bats. 

The good sign for Bichette here is that he improved from one year to the next, so this June could see Him get back to the hitter he was in Jun 2023. In 108 at-bats (26 games), Bichette batted .278 with a .735 OPS and hit three home runs and drove in 10 RBI. 

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