Mets' Bo Bichette Joins List of Slow Starts by Superstar Newcomers

Bichette's early-season slump compares to other high-profile Mets debuts like Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 3:00pm

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A fractured, geometric painting depicting Bo Bichette's batting stance and swing broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of blue and orange, conceptually representing the Mets star's slow start to the season.A cubist interpretation of Mets newcomer Bo Bichette's early-season struggles at the plate.NYC Today

New York Mets third baseman Bo Bichette is off to a slow start in his first season with the team, batting just .230 with no home runs through 14 games. However, Bichette is not the first Mets superstar to struggle out of the gate, as other big-name acquisitions like Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto have also experienced early-season slumps in their Mets debuts.

Why it matters

Slow starts by high-profile players can create early-season anxiety for Mets fans, but history shows these stars often turn it around and become key contributors. Understanding how Bichette's struggles compare to other Mets newcomers can provide context and perspective on his current slump.

The details

Through 14 games, Bichette is 14-for-61 with a .262 on-base percentage and no home runs. In 2021, Francisco Lindor started even worse, batting just .152 through 25 games. Juan Soto, acquired by the Mets last season, had a .265 average with one homer in his first 14 games before catching fire in June. The outlier is Carlos Beltrán, who hit .286 with two homers in his first 14 games as a Met in 2005.

  • Through 14 games this season, Bo Bichette is batting .230 with the Mets.
  • In 2021, Francisco Lindor was batting .152 through 25 games with the Mets.
  • In his first 14 games as a Met last season, Juan Soto had a .265 average with one homer.

The players

Bo Bichette

The Mets' new third baseman, a two-time American League hits leader, who is off to a slow start in his first season in New York.

Francisco Lindor

The Mets' star shortstop who struggled mightily in his debut season with the team in 2021, batting just .152 through 25 games.

Juan Soto

The Mets' star outfielder acquired last season, who got off to a slow start before catching fire in June.

Carlos Beltrán

The Mets' star outfielder who had a strong debut season in 2005, batting .286 with two homers in his first 14 games.

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What’s next

If Bichette continues to struggle, the Mets and their fans will be hoping he can turn it around like Soto did last season, rather than enduring a prolonged slump like Lindor in 2021.

The takeaway

While Bo Bichette's early-season slump with the Mets is concerning, it's not unprecedented for a high-profile Mets newcomer to experience a slow start. The team and its fans will be hoping Bichette can follow the path of players like Juan Soto and turn things around sooner rather than later.