The New York Mets enjoyed a mostly solid opening set against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but their 4-3 10-inning loss left the door open for criticism, especially as it pertained to All-Star slugger Bo Bichette.
Bichette went 0-for-5 and struck out three times in the contests. More granularly, he struck out with runners in scoring position when the game was tied at two in the bottom of the seventh, and later grounded with a runner on second base and a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the 10th inning.
Despite a 1-for-14 stretch to start the campaign, shortstop Francisco Lindor is confident that Bichette will find his footing.
“He’s one of the best hitters in the game,” Lindor told Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. “He’s going to have a lot of big moments for us. This is only normal, and we’re all on board with him. We know what kind of hitter he is. He’s going to execute. He’s going to come through more than he fails, so I can’t wait for him to get going.”
New York signed Bichette to a three-year, $126 million contract in the offseason and is hoping he will be the player he has been throughout his career. Across seven years with the Toronto Blue Jays, he hit .294 and recorded an .806 OPS.
The Orlando native was more than willing to speak openly about his slow start after the game. Further, he was honest about the pressure that can accompany wanting to impress a new team and city.
“I didn’t anticipate it, but I definitely felt that wanting to have a moment not only for my teammates, but for the fans,” Bichette said. “That’s just something I have to manage. … I guess I didn’t anticipate it affecting the way I play.”
The season never fails to provide a series of peaks and valleys. But it is clear that Bichette is motivated to get on the right track as the Mets depart for a seven-game road trip against the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants.
“We can talk about it being early, but I need to figure some things out,” Bichette said. “I’ve done it before. Just different circumstances.”
