PORT ST. LUCIE — Marcus Semien has seen two significant developments in the Mets infield in recent weeks that couldn’t have been anticipated when he was traded to the club in November.
First, they signed Semien’s former Blue Jays teammate Bo Bichette to play third base.
Then, before Semien even reported to spring training, he learned that double-play partner Francisco Lindor would be sidelined in camp, with Opening Day in question, after he underwent hamate bone surgery in his left hand.
The new Mets second baseman plunged into his initial spring workouts Saturday upbeat about his reunion with Bichette and lamenting Lindor’s absence.
Bichette, a former shortstop, began his transformation to third base last week after arriving on a three-year contract worth $126 million.
“He’s a little older, a little more seasoned, and now he’s learning a new position,” former shortstop Semien said of the 27-year-old Bichette, with whom he played in 2021. “I was in that position when I met him. I was learning second base, so there’s things we can talk about.
“It’s two different positions, but being in a new place and learning a new position can get uncomfortable at times, I am sure. And because he’s such a pure hitter and a great hitter, you know he’s going to be one of the best hitters. I think we’ll just talk about defense and see how well we play together.”
Lindor underwent hamate bone surgery Wednesday and faces a six-week recovery.
It leaves Semien to work mainly with Ronny Mauricio, Vidal Bruján, Grae Kessinger and Jackson Cluff in the middle infield.
“It was really a bummer,” Semien said of Lindor’s surgery. “I was looking forward to this time of the spring, but it doesn’t take away the fact he’s going to be back, hopefully for Opening Day, and we’ll get as many games as we can together. But I think communication is a big thing. We’ve already been talking this offseason how we want to do things, and I just can’t wait until he gets here to kind of talk through some things that maybe we won’t be able to work on here in spring.”
The Mets acquired Semien, 35, in a trade that sent Brandon Nimmo to Texas.
Semien brings Gold Glove defense to second base but was below average offensively last season, when he posted a .230/.305/.364 slash line with 15 homers and 62 RBIs.
It was a second straight season in which his OPS fell below .700.
The Mets also value the veteran’s leadership qualities.
“This is a guy who has been in that role on winning teams,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He’s been in the league for a long time, and the one thing from him is to lead by example. We have a bunch of leaders in that clubhouse, and he’s another one that we’re counting on, not only posting and playing and performing but just the way he works, with the way he goes about his business. He’s not a guy that is going to be saying much.”
Semien said his conversations with the team’s new hitting staff, headed by director of major league hitting Jeff Albert, began immediately following the trade.
Troy Snitker is the team’s new hitting coach.
“Conversations about what they thought of my last two seasons offensively and what are some adjustments maybe I can make to get back on track,” Semien said. “Those conversations were good. I think I have been able to control the strike zone for the most part, but it’s about hitting the ball with more authority and getting my body in the right position to do that more consistently.”
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
