NEW YORK (AP) — From crunch time to testing free agency, Bo Bichette has absorbed plenty of baseball advice from his major league father over the years.
Dante Bichette didn’t have much to offer in handling the hot corners, though.
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After signing a $126 million, three-year contract with the New York Mets, the younger Bichette was officially introduced to the team on Wednesday and wore No. 19 during a press conference at a packed Citi Field.
Bichette, a two-time All-Star shortstop for the Toronto Blue Jays, will start third base for the Mets, who have Francisco Lindor at shortstop. Bichette said he hasn’t played in a third game since playing travel ball as a teenager.
“I’m excited about this challenge. I mean, it’s like anything else: It takes work to be good at something, and I’m willing to put in the work and we’ll pursue it,” he said.
“I think at third base you have to deal with different positions, different plays, and I have to adapt and learn, but I think it’s all achievable.”
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Dante Bichette, a four-time All-Star outfielder from 1988 to 2001, attended the ceremony Wednesday with other family members. He played one inning at third base for the Milwaukee Bucks in 1991, and his bat was far better than his glove.
“I didn’t know he did that. I had no idea,” Bo Bichette said with a laugh. “This will be fun.”
Family criticism aside, the new-look Mets believe Bichette can successfully make the transition.
After struggling at shortstop last year, Bichette enters free agency this offseason willing to move up to second or third. He plans to call former Toronto teammate Matt Chapman, a five-time Gold Glove Award winner with the Hornets, to get some ideas on the third spot.
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“This is a player who is universally respected for his talent and work ethic on the field,” Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said of Bichette. “So when you combine those two things, it usually gives you comfort that they can make adjustments, make changes, and Beau is very confident that he can do that and everything we’ve seen supports that.”
Bichette turned down the NL East rivals Philadelphia Phillies to sign with the Mets, providing them with a proven hitter with a strong right-handed bat to help complement left-handed hitter Juan Soto.
Bichette appeared in 139 games for the Blue Jays last year, batting .311 with 18 home runs, 94 RBIs and an .840 OPS, but was one win away from a World Series title.
He hit a three-run homer off Shohei Ohtani in Game 7 of the Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, a .330 career hitter with a runner in scoring position, the third-best mark among qualified hitters in the majors since 2019.
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Bichette batted .381 in RISP last season.
“I don’t know if my eyes are going to light up or anything like that, but it’s definitely probably going to be more focused,” he said. “My dad taught me a lot about it. All I heard growing up was driving and running, so I put a lot of effort into that.”
Bichette, who turns 28 in March, will receive a $40 million signing bonus on March 15 and will have a salary of $2 million this year. He has $42 million in player options in 2027 and 2028. If he declines either option, he will receive a $5 million buyout, payable in $1 million annual installments on July 1 from 2036-40.
“We had a lot of conversations about different structures for the deal, where Beau could choose to go long-term, short-term, get out,” agent Greg Genske said. “His first priority is to find a place where he feels he can get better and have a chance to compete for a championship.”
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Cowshed extension
New York signed right-handed reliever Luis Garcia to a one-year, $1.75 million contract. He can earn $1.25 million in performance bonuses by pitching: $100,000 for 25 games, $150,000 each for 30 and 35 games, $175,000 for 40 games, $200,000 for 45 games, $225,000 for 50 games, and $250,000 for 55 games.
Garcia, who turns 39 this month, was 2-2 with a 3.42 ERA and two saves in 58 games with the Dodgers, Nationals and Angels last season. He compiled a 28-30 record, 4.07 ERA and 17 saves in 13 major league seasons.
To clear a spot for Garcia on the 40-man roster, infielder Jung Jung was designated for assignment.
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AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb
