Bo Bichette has a new team, a new position and (likely) a new lineup spot. The question now is whether those changes will bring out an even more valuable version of the two-time All-Star than the one we saw with the Blue Jays.
After seven seasons with Toronto, Bichette signed a three-year, $126 million deal with the Mets on Jan. 20. The longtime shortstop is moving to third base for the first time in his professional career, and he’s expected to bat third, right behind Juan Soto -- a spot that could do wonders for his offensive production.
Conventional wisdom has long held that a hitter’s performance can be impacted by who comes after him in the lineup, based on the idea that having a better hitter behind you will get you better pitches to hit. But many studies have debunked that notion, showing that who bats behind a player likely has little measurable effect on the pitches he sees.
Who bats before you, though, can matter a lot.
Batting behind Soto, who has drawn more walks (896) and posted a higher on-base percentage (.417) than anyone else since the outfielder debuted in the Majors, should give the 27-year-old Bichette plenty of chances to bat with runners on.
Just look at former Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, who spent much of 2025 following Soto in the Mets’ lineup. Nearly 51% of Alonso’s plate appearances came with at least one runner on base, the highest rate in MLB (minimum 300 PAs).
Highest % of plate appearances with a runner on base, 2025
Min. 300 PAs
1. Pete Alonso: 50.8%
2. Drake Baldwin: 50.4%
3. Vinnie Pasquantino: 50.1%
4. Cody Bellinger: 50.0%
5. Danny Jansen: 49.9%
Bichette, meanwhile, has never batted with runners on base more than 45% of the time in a season. Last year, 43% of his plate appearances came with men on.
In general, hitters tend to perform better with runners on base than they do with the bases empty. The disparity for Bichette is bigger than most.
During his career, Bichette has been an MVP-caliber hitter with runners on base, posting a 144 wRC+. With the bases empty, he’s been only slightly above league average, recording a 107 wRC+ (100 is considered average). That 37-point gap is one of MLB's largest since Bichette’s first season in 2019.
Biggest difference in wRC+, runners on - bases empty
Since 2019, min. 1,000 PAs with runners on base
1. Salvador Perez, +45
2. Ozzie Albies, +40
3. Bo Bichette, +37
4-T. Eddie Rosario, +36
4-T. Kyle Tucker, +36
That pronounced difference in his production illustrates why batting behind a player like Soto could be especially beneficial for Bichette. Alonso, for what it's worth, had a 176 wRC+ with men on last year, compared to a 105 wRC+ with the bases empty.
The defensive switch could also have a positive impact on Bichette's overall value.
Bichette hasn't played third base since high school, so the Mets are taking a risk here. At the same time, he has never been a particularly strong defender at short. In fact, his fielding run value of -27 ranks third worst among shortstops going back to 2019.
Lowest fielding run value at shortstop, since 2019
1. CJ Abrams: -37
2. Amed Rosario: -28
3. Bo Bichette: -27
4. Jorge Polanco: -19
5. Luis García Jr.: -15
In 2025 specifically, he was worth -10 runs, ranking last at the position. Merely performing as an average third baseman in 2026 would still be a notable improvement over his showing last year. Of course, the Mets are banking on him being much better than that, viewing him as a key part of the club's plan to improve its run prevention.
His defensive flaws aside, Bichette was already a superb contributor with the Blue Jays. He's a lifetime .294/.337/.469 hitter with a 122 wRC+, and he's produced at least 3.8 fWAR in each of the four years in which he's played more than 81 games.
Even if he largely remains the same player, he'll be an impactful addition for the Mets. However, as he starts this new chapter in Queens, it’s not hard to imagine him taking his game to another level in 2026.