There’s one lesson the NY Mets seemed to learn with their Bo Bichette signing

Signing a player and having him change positions isn’t a unique concept. The execution of it is sometimes the toughest part. The New York Mets have managed to follow through with the offseason chance they’re taking on Bo Bichette. Moving him off of shortstop and over to third base has been met with a lot of criticism even if there should have been just as many jeers if someone signed him to continue to play shortstop where it’s proven he isn’t effective.

He wasn’t the first non-third baseman the Mets had rumored interest in doing this with. Carlos Correa agreed to a deal with the Mets prior to the 2023 season only for his physical to scare them off from following through with the original deal.

Just an offseason ago, they revisited the idea with Willy Adames moving to third base. Both players ended up sticking at shortstop (at least originally) with Correa going back to the Minnesota Twins on a six-year deal worth $200 million. Adames got seven years and $182 million from the San Francisco Giants. Two massive contracts, one three years in and the other only a single season later, and we can come to a conclusion the Mets are better off with what they did with Bichette.

The Mets lesson: Take risks, make sure they're short

Correa is now back with the Houston Astros playing third base. A far better defensive player at shortstop than Bichette even when he was at his worst, he played the hot corner well in Houston last year. We don’t know how Adames would have done at third base for the Mets. But as a better defensive shortstop than Bichette, we can assume it would have been just fine.

It’s not the defense that’s worrisome as much as it is how quickly the bats dropped off.

Correa is getting paid over $30 million per year with a .268/.338/.428 slash line over the last three years. He missed about half of the 2024 season due to injury. He’s a walking injury risk hence why the Mets backed out. 

Adames had a powerful first year in San Francisco with 30 home runs. He did only have a .740 OPS with a .225 batting average. His backloaded contract creeps over $30 million starting in 2027. At a $26 million AAV, it’s not burdensome except for the fact it never seems to end. Think of the sigh of relief we’ll have when the Mets don’t have to hold their breath any longer to know what Sean Manaea will offer them in the coming year.

Bichette’s insane $42 million with a $5 million addition coming if he opts out after 2026 is extreme. It also comes with a quick rip of the Band-Aid rather than years of prodding. A scenario does exist where he’s a disaster at third base and the Mets need to reevaluate.