Carlos Mendoza’s first look at Bo Bichette at third is a positive sign for the Mets remake

Bo Bichette’s transformation into third baseman is already underway.

The former shortstop, who recently came to the Mets on a three-year contract worth $126 million, worked out for manager Carlos Mendoza in Port St. Lucie, Florida, on Monday, three weeks before position players were required to report for spring training.

Early reviews were positive, Mendoza told Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman on the podcast ‘The Show’.

“He’s an athlete,” Mendoza said. “We’re looking at a guy who has played shortstop virtually his entire career. And as I watched him today, walking around third base, taking ground balls, creating angles and then making throws to first base, I said to him, ‘Looks like you’ve played there before.’ ”

Bichette, who played in the 2025 World Series with the Blue Jays, isn’t the only Mets player learning a new position: The team also signed Jorge Polanco to a two-year, $40 million contract to move to first base, a position that became available after Pete Alonso accepted a five-year, $155 million contract with the Orioles.

Polanco has just one appearance at first base. Brett Baty (moved to third with the signing of Bichette) and Mark Vientos also play a role at first base.

“[Polanco] is a guy who came up as a shortstop and played in the middle of the diamond,” Mendoza said. “He also moves around and the same goes for Baty and Vientos, guys who have some experience there. But I have a feeling it will take some time to get used to some of the game action.”

Mendoza was also asked about team chemistry. The Post reported in November that Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto had a frosty relationship. Soto was in his first season in Queens last year after signing a record $765 million contract.

“They are two very different guys,” Mendoza said. “Soto is very business-like. He’s a guy who comes in, he goes through his process. Lindor is more outgoing, as you see on the field – the big smile. And that guy, whether we win or lose, is going to be the same guy. He cares. Obviously they both care. And I feel like because of who they are individually, it’s a relationship that they care about winning. They care about each other. They care about their teammates. But they’re two different personalities.”

Mendoza will get a new arm atop his rotation after last week’s trade that brought Freddy Peralta from the Brewers for Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat.

“We all know the type of arm, the type of pitcher [Peralta] That’s a guy at the front of the rotation. But as soon as we acquired him, I’ve been on the phone with a lot of people around him, and everyone keeps telling me the quality of the person he is, how good of a person he is and how much he cares about his teammates, about people. And that was one of the things he said to me when I got on the phone with him. It’s something like, “I plan to report to Port St. Lucie early so I can meet a lot of new faces.” That shows what kind of man he is.”

Mendoza was spared amid a coaching staff shake-up following the nosedive that kept the Mets from reaching the playoffs last season. He is entering the final year of his contract.

“I have a great opportunity in front of me,” Mendoza said. “You get an owner who is willing to use whatever resources are necessary to achieve the ultimate goal. And you have a front office that continues to take steps to continue to improve our roster. And now it’s up to us, you know, and me as a manager in this situation is a great opportunity. I know where I stand.”