SEATTLE (AP) — Bo Bichette kept it simple when describing what he relished most about his four-hit performance on Wednesday.
“I got hits,” he said.
In his first season with the New York Mets after signing a three-year, $126 million contract, the two-time All-Star knows he’s working through arguably the worst stretch of his career, entering the game against Seattle in an 0-for-16 slump.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza believes Bichette has simply been unfortunate.
“I feel like this guy has been very unlucky,” Mendoza said. “I hate to say it. But he’s a good hitter.”
With a new team and environment — and temporary moves around the infield — New York’s marquee offseason acquisition has struggled through the first third of the season.
The 28-year-old Bichette, entered Wednesday’s series finale against Seattle with a .213/.271/.299 slash line no hits in his last 16 at-bats. Despite his struggles, Bichette leads the Mets with 31 RBIs and has appeared in all but two of the team’s 62 games this season.
After spending his entire career with the Toronto Blue Jays, Bichette opted to sign with the Mets following a standout year in Toronto. He batted .311 with 18 home runs, 94 RBIs and an .840 OPS. Bichette led the American League in hits in 2021 and 2022, and finished second in the majors in batting average last season behind Yankees slugger Aaron Judge.
His performance on Wednesday provided a glimpse of what the Mets hoped to see from Bichette.
His four-hit performance helped spark a 7-1 victory over the Mariners, allowing the Mets (27-35) to avoid a series sweep. He recorded the 19th four-hit game of his career and his first with the Mets.
All four of his hits were singles and were spread across the field, including a broken-bat hit to center that drove in two runs and broke a 1-all tie in the fourth inning. He pushed another run across in the eighth with a sacrifice fly to left.
“Typical game for Bo when he’s going well,” Mendoza said. “He’s going to spray the ball around. He’s going to hit line drives.”
Bichette said there is no secret to finding his rhythm.
“Staying in the moment, getting good pitches to hit,” he said. “Whatever happens, happens. Move on.”
Mendoza offered perspective on Bichette’s current slump.
“He needs to find grass,” Mendoza said. “They’re human, man. When you look up and the numbers aren’t what they’re supposed to be at, everybody tells you it was a good swing after a bullet, and it gets tiring at times. They want to see results.”
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb