Breaking down the reasons to continue watching out-of-contention Mets

As the Mets return to Citi Field on Friday to open a series against the Nationals, they’ll open a stretch of four of their next five series will be in Queens.That’s hardly good news as they entered Thursday with the third-worst home record in the sport, ahead of just the A’s and their minor league park in West Sacramento, Calif., and Washington.Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets.

And with the team hopelessly out of playoff contention, Mets fans could certainly be forgiven for avoiding the ballpark — and the TV — for the rest of the season.But for those willing to venture to the ballpark for the rest of the summer and (early) fall, here are some things to keep an eye on:Bo Bichette was among the reasons the Mets got off to a season-sinking start, as he basically didn’t start hitting until early June after signing with the team in the offseason.Two-plus months later, Bichette has looked more like the star he was for most of his time with the Blue Jays.He has still remained significantly more productive on the road than at Citi Field, with an OPS of .643 at home and .730 away from home, but the concerns that his move from shortstop to third base would have a long-term impact on him at the plate have so far proven not to be true.And there’s still the subject of his opt-out.Bichette has a player option for $42 million for both next season — if and when it’s played — as well as 2028.When he was in the throes of his early season slump, an opt-out seemed almost unfathomable, considering he wouldn’t have fetched nearly that much on the open market.Despite his improved play, though, it has been a struggle in his first season in New York and the team has wildly underachieved.But perhaps with better health from Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto next season, Bichette could see a strong lineup and the chance to put together a complete season offensively.Biche...