Bo Bichette's First Thousand

Named for Bo

He was named after Bo Jackson. His father Dante was a four-time All-Star outfielder; his mother Mariana grew up in Porto Alegre, Brazil. At fifteen, spending a summer in the Rockies clubhouse where his father coached, Bichette was asked to fill in during batting practice against the Dodgers. He hit several balls over the fence. Sportsnet reported he later called it one of the coolest things he had ever done.

The person who did that collected his 1,000th career hit on July 7, 2026, a single for the New York Mets.

Toronto and the Move

Bichette debuted with the Blue Jays on July 29, 2019, and played seven seasons in Toronto. He twice led the American League in hits, made two All-Star teams, and was named the Blue Jays' MVP in 2023. In January 2026 he signed a three-year, $126 million deal with the Mets to primarily play third base.

His mother has been a constant presence at his games since childhood. MLB.com reported that Mariana taught him to focus on preparation and process rather than results after poor performances.

What the Body Did

In his first pro season, an 18-year-old Bichette played through severe midsection pain for weeks while batting over .400 before doctors discovered his appendix had ruptured. His body absorbed it without surgery. Hospital nurses nicknamed him Chuck Norris. He came back for the final two games of the season and went 3-for-6, per Sportsnet.

Through 872 career games he is batting .290 with 209 doubles and 123 home runs. In his first season in New York, he has 131 hits in 124 games.

Reporting: Sportsnet, MLB.com. Career and biographical data: MLB StatsAPI, via the Fever engine.