NEW YORK (AP) — From hitting in the clutch to testing free agency, Bo Bichette has soaked up plenty of baseball advice from his big league dad over the years.
Dante Bichette doesn't have much to offer about handling the hot corner, though.
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Bo Bichette speaks during his introductory press conference with the New York Mets, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
Bo Bichette speaks with members of the media during his introductory press conference with the New York Mets, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
Bo Bichette, left, shakes hands with New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza during his introductory press conference, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
Bo Bichette puts on his hat and jersey during his introductory press conference with the New York Mets, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
Bo Bichette poses for his photos on the field after his introductory press conference with the New York Mets, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
Bo Bichette poses for his photos on the field after his introductory press conference with the New York Mets, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
After signing a $126 million, three-year contract with the New York Mets, the younger Bichette was formally introduced by the team Wednesday and pulled on a No. 19 jersey at a packed Citi Field news conference.
A two-time All-Star shortstop with the Toronto Blue Jays, Bichette will shift to third base with the Mets, who have Francisco Lindor entrenched at shortstop. Bichette said he hasn't played third since travel ball as a teenager.
“I’m excited for the challenge. I mean, it’s just like anything else: It’s going to take work to be good at something, and I’m willing to put in that work and we’ll get after it," he said.
"I think there’s different positioning, different plays you have to deal with at third base that I’m going to have to get used to and learn, but I think that’s all attainable.”
Dante Bichette, in attendance Wednesday along with other family members, was a four-time All-Star outfielder from 1988-2001. Known much more for his bat than glove, he played one inning at third base for Milwaukee in 1991.
“I didn’t know he did that. I had no idea," Bo Bichette said with a grin. "That would be interesting to watch.”
Household jabs aside, the new-look Mets are confident Bichette can make the switch successfully.
He didn't grade well at shortstop last year, and Bichette entered free agency this offseason willing to move to second or third. He plans to call former Toronto teammate Matt Chapman, a five-time Gold Glove winner at the hot corner, to get some thoughts about manning third.
“This is a player who is universally respected for his aptitude and his work ethic on the field," Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said about Bichette. "And so when you combine those two things it generally gives you comfort that they can make adjustments, make changes, and Bo is very confident that he’s going to be able to do this, and everything we’ve seen backs that up.”
Bichette spurned the NL East rival Philadelphia Phillies to sign with the Mets and gives them a proven hitter with a potent right-handed bat to help complement lefty slugger Juan Soto.
“I’m not unaware that New York is a challenge. I’m not shying away from it. I’m ready for it and I’m excited for it," Bichette said. "These fans hold you accountable and I think as a player wanting to be your best self, that’s only a positive.”
Bichette batted .311 with 18 home runs, 94 RBIs and an .840 OPS in 139 games last year for the Blue Jays, who fell one win short of a World Series title.
He hit a three-run homer off Shohei Ohtani in Game 7 of the Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and is a .330 career hitter with runners in scoring position — the third-best mark in the majors among qualified hitters since 2019.
Bichette batted .381 with RISP last season.
“I don’t know if my eyes light up or anything like that, but definitely probably get a little bit more focus," he said. "And my dad taught me a lot about it. That’s all I heard about growing up was driving in runs, so I’ve put a lot of work into it.”
Bichette, who turns 28 in March, gets a $40 million signing bonus payable March 15 and a $2 million salary this year. He has $42 million player options for 2027 and 2028. If he declines either option, he would receive a $5 million buyout, payable in $1 million installments each July 1 from 2036-40.
“We had a lot of conversations about the different structure of the deal, and Bo had his choice of long-term deals, shorter-term deals, opt outs," agent Greg Genske said. “His priority was finding a place where he felt like he could get better as a player and have a chance to compete for championships.”
New York signed right-handed reliever Luis García to a $1.75 million, one-year contract. He can earn $1.25 million in performance bonuses for games pitched: $100,000 for 25, $150,000 each for 30 and 35, $175,000 for 40, $200,000 for 45, $225,000 for 50 and $250,000 for 55.
García, who turns 39 this month, went 2-2 with a 3.42 ERA and two saves in 58 combined appearances last season with the Dodgers, Nationals and Angels. He is 28-30 with a 4.07 ERA and 17 saves in 13 major league seasons.
To open a spot for García on the 40-man roster, infielder Tsung-Che Cheng was designated for assignment.
AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb
Bo Bichette speaks during his introductory press conference with the New York Mets, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
Bo Bichette speaks with members of the media during his introductory press conference with the New York Mets, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
Bo Bichette, left, shakes hands with New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza during his introductory press conference, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
Bo Bichette puts on his hat and jersey during his introductory press conference with the New York Mets, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
Bo Bichette poses for his photos on the field after his introductory press conference with the New York Mets, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
Bo Bichette poses for his photos on the field after his introductory press conference with the New York Mets, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (AP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday inaugurated his Board of Peace to lead efforts at maintaining a ceasefire in Israel's war with Hamas, insisting “everyone wants to be a part” of the body he said could eventually rival the United Nations — despite many U.S. allies opting not to participate.
In a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump sought to create momentum for a project to map out a future of the war-torn Gaza Strip that has been overshadowed this week, first by his threats to seize Greenland, then by a dramatic retreat from that push.
“This isn’t the United States, this is for the world,” he said, adding, “I think we can spread it out to other things as we succeed in Gaza.”
The event featured Ali Shaath, the head of a new, future technocratic government in Gaza, announcing that the Rafah border crossing will open in both directions next week. But there was no confirmation of that from Israel, which said only that it would consider the matter next week. The Gaza side of the crossing, which runs between Gaza and Egypt, is currently under Israeli military control.
The new peace board was initially envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing the ceasefire, but it has morphed into something far more ambitious — and skepticism about its membership and mandate has led some countries usually closest to Washington to take a pass.
In his remarks, Trump said 59 countries had been involved with his Gaza ceasefire. Afterward, he told reporters “we're going to have, I think, over 50” countries sign on to the Board of Peace. But only 19 countries were represented at the event. He told the group, ranging from Azerbaijan to Paraguay to Hungary, “You’re the most powerful people in the world.”
Flying back to Washington from Davos, Trump told reporters that some leaders have told him they want to join but first require approval from their parliaments, specifically naming Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Polish President Karol Nawrocki.
Trump has spoken about the board replacing some U.N. functions, but in his Thursday speech he said the two bodies would work together, even as he denigrated the U.N. for doing what he said wasn't enough to calm some conflicts around the globe.
Some countries have raised questions about invitations Trump extended to Russian President Vladimir Putin and other authoritarian leaders. Britain’s foreign secretary Yvette Cooper told the BBC that her country wasn’t signing on, noting “concerns about President Putin being part of something which is talking about peace, when we have still not seen any signs from Putin that there will be a commitment to peace in Ukraine.”
As for Putin, he said his country is still consulting with Moscow’s “strategic partners” before deciding to commit. The Russian was hosting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday in Moscow.
The Kremlin said Thursday that Putin plans to discuss his proposal to send $1 billion to the Board of Peace and use it for humanitarian purposes during his talks with Abbas — if Russia can use assets the U.S. had previously blocked. Asked about that idea by reporters, Trump said, “If he’s using his money, that’s great.”
The launch of the board came the same week that Trump rattled European allies with threats to acquire Greenland and punish allies with tariffs — then later backing away. Norway and Sweden have indicated they won’t participate in the board. Canada is uncommitted. France declined, citing concerns the board could seek to replace the U.N.
The idea for the Board of Peace was first laid out in Trump’s 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan and even was endorsed by the U.N. Security Council.
But an Arab diplomat in a European capital said that Middle Eastern governments coordinated their response to Trump's invitation to join the Board of Peace and that it was crafted to limit the acceptance to the Gaza plan as mandated by the U.N. Security Council.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter more freely, the diplomat said the announced acceptance is “preliminary” and that the charter presented by the U.S. administration contradicts in some parts the United Nations' mission. The diplomat also said that other major powers are unlikely to support the board in its current form.
Trump's push for peace comes after he threatened military action this month against Iran as it carried out a violent crackdown against some of the largest street protests in years, killing thousands of people.
Trump, for the time being, has signaled he won't carry out any new strikes on Iran after he said he received assurances that the Islamic government would not carry out the planned hangings of more than 800 protesters.
But Trump also made the case that his tough approach to Tehran — including strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities in June last year — was critical to the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal coalescing.
He said Thursday that the U.S. is moving a fleet of ships toward Iran “just in case” it wants to take action against the country over its crackdown on protesters.
And he said he was keeping in place a threat to slap 25% tariffs on countries doing business with Iran. “We’re doing that,” he said. The White House has not yet provided details on that plan, which Trump had announced more than a week ago.
Trump also met privately Thursday for about an hour with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but was circumspect about how it went. “I had a good meeting — but I’ve had numerous good meetings with President Zelenskyy and it doesn’t seem to happen,” Trump said.
He expressed some sympathy for Ukrainians struggling without heat in the winter because of Russian attacks on infrastructure, but also frustration that he has not been able to broker a deal to end the war, noting “the same things that have been holding it up for the past year” continue to be sticking points.
Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner are now in Moscow for talks with Putin.
Zelenskyy on Thursday said there would be two days of trilateral meetings involving the U.S., Ukraine and Russia in the United Arab Emirates starting Friday, following the U.S. talks in Moscow.
“Russians have to be ready for compromises because, you know, everybody has to be ready, not only Ukraine, and this is important for us,” Zelenskyy said.
Trump said Zelenskyy told him in the meeting that he'd like to make a deal.
“There were times when Putin didn't want to make a deal, times when Zelenskyy didn't want to make deal, and it was like opposite times,” he said. “Now I think they both want to make a deal — but we'll find out.”
This story has been corrected to fix Trump’s references to the number of countries involved in his Board of Peace. Trump said 59 countries had been involved with the ceasefire he brokered for Gaza. He did not say that 59 countries had signed on to the Board of Peace.
Madhani and Weissert reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Ali Swenson in Washington and Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivers a speech at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
US President Donald Trump leaves after a signing ceremony of his Board of Peace initiative at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
Journalist ask questions to President Donald Trump, right, as he walks up a stairwell during the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, arrives for the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP)
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrives for a meeting on the sidelines of the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Donald Trump speaks during a Board of Peace charter announcement during the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Donald Trump, right, greets leaders as he arrives for a Board of Peace charter announcement during the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Donald Trump, center, holds up a signed Board of Peace charter during the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Donald Trump holds the charter during a signing ceremony on his Board of Peace initiative at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
President Donald Trump speaks after the signing of a Board of Peace charter during the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Donald Trump holds the charter during a signing ceremony on his Board of Peace initiative at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
President Trump stands on the podium at the beginning a session on the Board of Peace initiative of US President Donald Trump at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
President Donald Trump arrives for a Board of Peace charter announcement during the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Donald Trump speaks during a Board of Peace charter announcement during the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
From right, Ayman Al Safadi, Deputy PM of of Jordan, Prabowo Subinato, President of Indonesia, Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Bulgaria's Prime Minister Rossen Jeliazkov, Ilham Aliyev, President Donald Trump President of Azerbaijan, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of Armenia and Javier Milei, President of Argentina pose during a Board of Peace charter announcement during the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Donald Trump speaks during a Board of Peace charter announcement during the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Donald Trump gestures after his special address during the 56th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, WEF, in Davos, Switzerland, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (Gian Ehrenzeller/Keystone via AP)
