For New York Mets infielder Brett Baty, it wasn’t supposed to go this way. He’s done things the right way, patiently working his way up through the team’s farm system, then taking on an important role as a multi-positional possibility. There were postseason comments from GM David Stearns about Baty being given a “long runway” to start at third base.
It was a logical progression, but logical isn’t how the Mets roll. Stearns tries to take that approach, but when owner Steve Cohen wants to spend big and acquire a star, logic and plans go out the window, which is definfitely the case with newly-acquired third baseman Bo Bichette, who's never played the position for an extended stretch.
So what’s Baty’s situation now? Will Sammon of The Athletic did a run through Baty’s numbers, and they’re impressive. Baty split time last season between third and second base, making 87 appearances at third and 57 at second, according to Sammon. He also hit 18 home runs—the same number as Bichette, coincidentally enough— with a 111 OPS+.
Defensively, Sammon added that metrics like outs above average suggest he was playable at second base and good at third base, which is his primary position. In 2021 and 2022, he made a total of 29 starts in left field, Mets officials believe he can also handle some first base.
Believe any of this at your own peril. Baty is the latest example of the Mets’ ongoing belief that acquiring stars is more important than winning with quality players, and right now he’s suspended in no man’s land.
The latest rumors have the Mets chasing outfielder Cody Bellinger, whose negotiations with the New York Yankees have hit an impasse due to the number of years Bellinger wants versus the Yankees’ desire for a shorter deal. Cohen loves winning the NYC tabloid wars as much or more than winning games, and no one would be surprised if the Mets added Bellinger this week.
Baty would make a solid trade candidate, but the trouble with this possibility is that the Mets just diminished his value by signing Bichette. Everyone knows that Stearns is in a bind with a badly unbalanced roster, especially with pitchers and catchers schedule to report in just over a month.
If Baty does manage to escape from the Mets asylum, he’ll likely be a quality third baseman for another team that does things the right way. He’s currently working out in Texas with newly-acquired second baseman and prospect Jett Williams, according to Sammon, and the one thing we know for sure in all of this is that Baty deserves better.