The New York Mets posted their lineup Saturday for the second game of a three-game set with the San Francisco Giants, and it included an unexpected shift for one of their highest-paid players.
Bo Bichette, who has spent most of the season at third base, was listed as the designated hitter. He remained in the third spot in the batting order.
Brett Baty drew the start at third base in Bichette’s place.
The Mets entered the afternoon looking to stay hot after beating the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday and taking the series opener from the Giants on Friday. They scored 20 runs across those two wins.
Manager Carlos Mendoza did not immediately detail the reasoning behind the defensive change. Bichette has not served as the designated hitter on a regular basis this year.
The 28-year-old infielder has been swinging the bat well lately. He carried a five-game hitting streak into Saturday, going 8-for-18 during that stretch.
Those hits have helped stabilize what was an uneven first year in New York after he signed a three-year, $126 million contract in January.
Bichette left the Toronto Blue Jays as a free agent and agreed to move to third base for the Mets, a position he had not played regularly as a professional.
The transition has had its bumps. Through 139 games he was hitting .266 with 15 home runs, 24 doubles and 68 RBIs.
Those numbers show improvement as the season has progressed, even if they fall short of the production many expected when the deal was announced.
Francisco Lindor was set to lead off at shortstop, followed by Juan Soto in left field. Bichette was slotted third as the DH. Carson Benge started in right field, with Jared Young at first base and Marcus Semien at second. Drew Ewing was in center, Francisco Alvarez behind the plate and Baty at third.
The Mets hoped the extra rest for Bichette’s legs would keep his bat in the lineup while giving Baty an opportunity to play the infield.
Baty has seen sporadic time this season and has shown flashes at the plate and in the field.
New York has dealt with injuries and inconsistency throughout 2026, making small lineup tweaks a frequent occurrence. Bichette’s recent stretch of contact has been one of the brighter developments. He has looked more comfortable at the plate in recent weeks after a slower start.
The Giants, playing at home, presented a different test after New York’s offensive outburst the previous two days. A win Saturday would give the Mets a chance to take the series on Sunday and keep momentum heading into the final weeks of the regular season.
Bichette’s ability to stay productive as a designated hitter, even for one afternoon, could offer Mendoza another option if the club needs to mix and match later.
For now, the move was simply listed on the card: Bichette in the three-hole, swinging from the DH spot, with Baty manning the hot corner.
The Mets were looking to build on two high-scoring victories and keep Bichette’s bat in the middle of the order while he rides his current hitting streak.
