The Mets optioned Brett Baty to Triple-A Syracuse, as first reflected on the MLB.com transaction log. As expected, they also optioned catcher Hayden Senger. New York will activate Jeff McNeil and Francisco Alvarez from the 10-day IL before tomorrow’s game in Washington.
McNeil will bounce between second base, the corner outfield, and potentially see some time in center field. He’ll be in the lineup on most days. It would have been difficult to find regular playing time for Baty unless the Mets were willing to commit to McNeil as an everyday center fielder — a tall ask for a player with 16 MLB innings there. Mark Vientos is the everyday third baseman, while Jesse Winker starts at designated hitter against righty pitching.
Baty and Luisangel Acuña have split the second base work in McNeil’s absence. Acuña is a better fit off the bench. He’s a good athlete who can back up around the infield and potentially see some center field work. Acuña has also outhit Baty through the season’s first few weeks. He owns a .283/.356/.377 line in 59 plate appearances. Baty carries a .204/.246/.352 slash over 58 trips.
The lefty-hitting Baty had been getting into a better groove of late. He only collected three hits over his first eight games. He has eight knocks — four of which went for extra bases — over his most recent 27 at-bats. Still, it’s better for Baty to get everyday reps in the minors rather than play two or three times per week off the MLB bench. Assuming he spends at least 20 days in the minors, this will be Baty’s final option year.
Alvarez’s return pushes Luis Torrens to the backup catcher role. Acuña, Torrens, Starling Marte and fifth outfielder José Azocar comprise Carlos Mendoza’s bench.
Does Baty become a solid Major Leaguer? Interested in polling the comment section here…
Baty will be back – as soon as there is an injury.
Just a hunch, it will be for Acuna, after he slides off 3rd base again.
Or, Baty gets moved to West Sacramento in a deal for a pitcher.
Too bad – he seemed to be settling down the last few games. But he needs every day AB’s.
By the way, we all wrote something very similar 13 months ago, about Mark Vientos, after he was sent to AAA, for JD Martinez.
Baty is not a match for the A’s
Do you believe Baty would be out-played and out-hit by Max Muncy, Zack Gelof… or Gio Urshela???
Buckner
Sacramento A’s new 3B Luis Urias has an OPS of 0.923 with four homers and an 0.275 batting average, Baty has an OPS of 0.598 with one homer and below the Mendoza line. Sacramento A’s have great hitters like Rooker, Soderstrom, Kurtz, and good ones like Butler, Shea, they need more pitching not a post-hype reclamation project like Baty. I do not think Baty will ever be a star, I think Luisangel will have the better career of the two. I think Baty will eventually be a starter, but not one the Sacramento A’s should give up something to get.
No
Not as a Met. He is one of those guys that MIGHT break out after a change of scenery trade, But he might already be ruined as well. I’d say he’ll likely become a journeyman that changes teams every offseason. Good enough to stay in the league, but probably not good enough to keep around.
I wouldn’t mind him as a Rockie if they can move Ryan McMahon.
I don’t think he is a regular by any means. That said, he bats left and maybe can be a solid bat off someone’s bench.
I think Baty will be one of those guys we never mention because we always overlook them: the average major leaguer. He starts off in a back-up role, and spends a couple or few years building up to platoon player. Eventually he gets an opportunity to start, and he looks good for a couple of career years in his late 20’s, i.e. near the end of his prime, before slowly fading back to platoon, then reserve and bouncing around in that last role.
In answer to Gwynning, likely imo. I think he’s a 2-win regular (3B) as currently built, and it’s never been easier for a player to make adjustments that unlock another level. He already has traits associated with 4-win players, and he made a key adjustment late last year that has carried through into this year, so he *can* improve.
I do suspect he might need some help on the mental side (just a hunch based on the disconnect between his skills and results). Or a team willing to run him out there until he forgets to worry about his performance.
I think so! Needs out of NY. Like to see Pirates made trade for him.
@Gwynning Difficult to see how Baty does. He can surely hit. His minor league record translates to an above average bat to go with his average glove at 3B, and if he can carry the bat to MLB and play an average 2B, he could put up an AS season in a good year.
But not only isn’t he bringing his A game to the majors, he’s nowhere close, to the point you have to think there’s a severe block against succeeding—whether it’s being overwhelmed by the speed of the game and the pressure, or something else, he’s not just underwhelming but authentically bad, and for four years running.
SSS caveats apply, but it’s still odd that with a 69 OPS+ he’s had a positive 0.4 bWAR and 0.1 fWAR so far in ’25, as he’s not that good a fielder. Still, it’s not as if he’s 0 and 50, and all he had to do was put up last year’s OPS+ of 83 in 150 games at 3B and he projects to 1.5 – 2.0 fWAR. I doubt he’ll get another real shot with the Mets short of being the best of a dubious lot in a midseason callup or a catastrophic injury to Vientos or Nimmo, which moves McNeil almost exclusively to the OF, but someone with a hole at 2B or 3B will be willing to deal their comparable failed prospect for Baty and give him a year, particularly if they’re not contending.
But to fail this badly, every time? I don’t see how he succeeds from here.
He may get another shot with the Mets. I realize that hitting these last few games is almost meaningless. But it is the first time in his career that we’ve actually seen him make adjustments after slumping. He needs to do better, and have the slumps be less profuse. But at least there’s a glimmer of hope that he’s starting to get it.
I still believe that the Mets will move on from Marte and/or Winker at some point. Thats one place where Baty might get another opp. And he could get time at 3B and as a reserve next year, when he’s out of options and Alonso has left the team.
Generally speaking, I almost agree with your post 100%, Jack. My thoughts are that if he were to succeed from here, it won’t be as a Met. Classic change-of-scenery guy; I think the pressure of the Big Apple is cooking him. He might be an 8-time All Star in his career, but elsewhere.
Unfortunately for Baty it’s the correct move. Azocar may not have the freakish defensive prowess and speed of Siri – but he actually makes contact from time to time. Siri small sample size has been dreadful. Almost a listless automatic out
Siri’s sample size isn’t that small when you look at his last couple of years. Tampa knows how to get the most out of middling to marginal players, at least for a year or two. If they gave up on and dumped Siri, then it seems unlikely that anyone else is going to get much out of him.
that said, when the Mets first got him, I speculated that their hitting lab and analytics people saw something they thought they could correct or add that would beak Siri out. And it looked that way for bit in spring. But then reality set in. Who knows? Maybe they’ll work with him some more during the ‘baseball-related activities” stretch of his rehab and he comes back a better hitter.
The Rays moved on (from Siri) because they found workable replacements without Siri’s off-field issues and with even more club control.
What are Siri’s off field issues?
Or is it this? You don’t like his style?
Sadly he just cant cut it in the majors
Not even sure he has any trade value at this point
Maybe for a bag of peanuts
IMO the Yankees should take a chance on Baty. I don’t see him getting a chance with the Mets. What would the Mets want in return??
Im no gm but
Mayb a prospect like arias or selvidge?
Those aren’t enough. Would be more like Spencer Jones, and even that doesn’t make much sense for the Mets. They have bigger needs—including the position Baty plays (in 2026).
Low A or Rookie ball lottery ticket.
Agree. Unless McNeil is so bad in CF AND you really don’t want to play Nimmo ever in center to protect him from injury AND you really don’t want to try Acuña in CF every once in a while when you need to sit Taylor. Between those three you really could have cobbled together backups/rotations with Taylor for CF and still gotten Baty some ABs at 2nd and 3rd 2-3x a week if not more. He has nothing left to prove in AAA, he needs big league ABs over regular playing time in the minors at this point in his career.
@ D2323… you’re asking a lot out of some questionable options. 2-3 times a week is anywhere from 28 to 50% of the time. What if none of them is up to par and you’ve lost Azocar to a claim or free agency?
Second, what makes you think that this will give Baty 2 to 3x a week? If McNeil is in the OF, then Acuna is available for 2B. And vice versa.
Baty’s time comes when Marte and/or Winker gets moved (or dumped). Then Vientos can DH, and Baty’s better defense can be used at 3rd.
Azocar being claimed isn’t worth worrying about, he already passed through waivers once this year. I don’t know why you’d ever want him in the lineup anyway. He’s not very good, only plus is defense and again id rather give the reps to Acuna and groom him to be the super utility versatile guy you want him to be in the future. And if he takes a leap your CF problem is solved. I don’t want Azocar in the lineup any day over other options so that’s why I don’t understand why he’s here still.
He’s there until Siri returns. At least that’s what my iPhone said…
Yes. Azocar passed through waivers once this year. That means that even if he clears waivers afgain, he would now have the right to declare free agency due to having been outrighted once already. His defense is exactly the reason to keep him. And BTW, his career offense is higher than Baty’s carrer numbers and 2025 numbers.
Calling Acuna a super utility is using the term loosely. That term is meant to refer to a player with legitimate, every bat, but who plays varying positions.
Again, losing Azocar isn’t a big deal. And why would he opt for free agency after passing through waivers again, him passing through waivers means nobody wants to give him a roster spot, so why opt out to sign a minors deal somewhere else? He’s still in AAA and another injury away from being the starting CF on a first place team.
The risk of losing Azocar is tiny and the significance of possibly losing him doesn’t really impact the Mets that much. The risk of stunting Baty right as it looked like he was about to turn the corner against big league pitching. This is just a real head scratcher to me.
super utility refers to someone that can play multiple infield and outfield positions where utility is someone that plays all around the infield. Bat really doesnt factor much into that grouping. For example DJL from the yankees would be referred to as utility if he wasnt starter as he only plays infield while oswaldo cabrera would be a super utility since he can also play outfield.
Thats perception on your part. Or maybe it has evolved to mean that after too many instances of over and misuse by the press. The term was first coined to describe Tony Phillips, who played every day, as a starter would, but was all over the field rather than one position. There were plenty of players who played both IF and OF in the 70’s and 80’s, and after. But they were never referred to as “super utility”, because they weren’t good enough to play regularly.
definitions change and so do roles in Tony Phillips times would you have a “bullpen game” or was that pretty much unheard of? In his time, a quality game was 7 innings and less than 2 runs its now i think 6 and 3. Also pitchers now hit 100 pitches and be pretty much guaranteed done for the day? 200 innings is a rarity now where almost every team in his time had atleast one starter there or very close and multiples usually. Look at blake snell never hit 200 and pretty far away but has 2 cy youngs.
but if you google MLB super utility players meaning
“In MLB, a “super utility player” is a player who possesses exceptional versatility and can effectively play multiple positions, including both infield and outfield. They are valuable for providing depth and flexibility on the bench and can often be relied upon to fill in at various positions throughout a game or even for extended periods if needed. ”
while a super utility could potentially be a starter doesnt mean thats what the role is. Again nothing mentioned about the bat. Might be your perception and not what is reality.
Geo
I think your revision gets it.
Originally super utility meant a multi-positional player with a huge bat and now it just means any ‘ol dude who can player multiple fielding positions as a backup.
It took a little time, but the Mets are now a David Stearns team.
Interesting that as of tonight the Mets have the lowest team ERA in MLB (followed by the Padres…..that were smart enough to scoop up Ruben Niebla from Cleveland a few years ago).
Stearns has done this without doing sexy signings of big-name FA pitchers that writers and posters here think are a prerequisite for contenders. In fact, before he was officially hired by the Mets he advised owner Stephen Cohen to dump his high-priced signings of Max Scherzer and Jason Verlander – which got the Mets Luisangel Acuña, 2 prospects, and ML roster spaces.
It’s so much fun to watch people run MLB FO’s that understand the sport. Same as Posey with the Giants.
Isn’t Jason Verlander married to Kelly Upton ?
I rest my case.
Did Kate change her name to Kelly??
Nah, Jason married Kelly. Justin married Kate.
🙂
And then Samuel rested his case.
From Justin to Kelly.
Oh we are giving Sterns credit for the Verlander and Scherzer trades while he was still getting paid by the Brewers? Billy Eppler was the Mets GM at the time.
And Buster must have liked Farhan’s roster because all he added was Verlander and Adames.
You have NO IDEA, absolutely no freaking idea about “advised owner to dump Scherzer and Verlander. Steve Cohen is pretty damn smart about risk management. Stearns had nothing to do with those transactions.
How is that you know so much? You’re full of shi*.
@major league baseball fan: Why so mean?
We’re just talking baseball.
Be nice.
Because he is a know it all troll who’s arrogant AF. And he literally has no idea what he’s talking about.
@ Samuel… You say, “in fact”. But you’re taking a snippet of fact and either embellishing or misinterpreting it into something more.
In fact, Stearns’ was still working for Milwaukee in an advisory role when those traded happened.
He did not start talking with or advising Cohen until later in the season.
Bigger question over Baty is Alvarez. Alvarez pushing torrens into backup role? For how long? If Alvarez swings like last season then Torrens should be our primary. Much better defender and at least he knows how to hit in situations instead of every swing for the moon. Alvarez can’t block a pitch or throw anyone out.
Torrens is a great defensive catcher who was originally thought to be a bat-first player. Was rushed to the big leagues before he was experienced enough, and may only now be coming to his own given his consistent playing time.
Mendoza should not hand the job to Alvarez, but use both in rotation. I would hope Jeremy Hefner would poll his pitchers on who they like to catch them, and use that knowledge in decision making on who starts for which pitcher.
Alvarez is 23. Try again.
Mommy was making you pancakes when you were 23.
what you mean? mommy still makes me pancakes even now when i go visit..
What? Guy completely destroys a Wheeler pitch for a homerun and this is what he’s rewarded with?
I hit a home run in Little League once. Does it count if it was off a girl?
No it doesn’t count. If she had struck you out it would count.
Not even if it cleared the outfielders into the other diamond across the park?
I’m talking about this one:
mlb.com/video/brett-baty-s-113-9-mph-425-foot-home…
That is a real nice home run.
That’s the fattest pitch I’ve seen from Wheeler in quite a long time…
Gwynning
We’re pretending it was a meatball? It was a cutter in … to a lefty …from a guy who plays off 97, it was far from an easy pitch to hit 425′
captain kirk once hit 3 hrs in a game and ended up with 4 total for the season.
That cockroach cant hit MLB pitching
At least he got a truck out of it
i don’t like that happening during a winning streak.
The Mets need to let Acuna be the everyday second baseman. He’s played well and McNeil hasn’t been good in a while. Let McNeil be the super utility player, corner outfielder, occasional DH. Acuna has the chance to be a very good every day player, sticking an aging ineffective veteran there doesn’t make sense.
McNiel getting paid 10 mil Acuna getting league min. I’m sure they will play McNiel first now that’s he’s back and decide from there.
Baty is only smart choice right now. He’s had 2 good games in all the chances he’s had and has an option left. Azocar doesn’t have an option so if elects FA there’s very good chance we loose a BU cf to another team.
Trust the process
McNeil $15.75 million.
Even more than I thought and more reason why McNiel is going to play as much as possible. If anything they’ll showcase him and maybe someone will be interested.
he was actually very good the last half of last season.
He can be at times but he just looks so unhappy to be there. He’s a selfish player imo. It’s all about him.
Acuna would have smothered that ball up the middle last night in the 9th inning. Lazy Jeff didn’t recognize the situation and act accordingly.
It was basically Jeffs first game back but i have seen Acuna with worse mental lapses so that is not a definite acuna would have done anything. I mean he threw the ball 5 ft away from first on an easy double play ball with a slow footed runner heading to first that mcneil would have easily made.
But if you like the what ifs …. you could also say in that game that instead of nimmo throwing to third jeff would have thrown to second and kept the runner at first or maybe even gotten him in a run down that would have prevented the first run and kept senga’s streak alive. If Garret was picthing the earlier inning could have gotten the glove down and gotten the out at the plate. If the ump wasnt blind he would have seen that ball bounced and that it wasnt a triple play but that the bases were loaded with nobody out.
Taylor could have actually not held up on the bouncer up the middle on the last play on i can only imagine him thinking the runner was going to stop at third but instead charged it the whole way. He should have recognized the situation and acted accordingly. That hesitation cost him the play at the plate.
He’s going to be the next Justin Turner.
That was straightforward enough to attribute to the Mets’ bad development system through 2013 and by some accounts Alderson was at best indifferent to Turner. The system wasn’t any better through 2023, but it’s been much better since then. It’s difficult to think the current Mets development people left any stones unturned including during the offseason wrt a LHH with .850 OPS potential in MLB.
——————————————————–
” Still, it’s better for Baty to get everyday reps in the minors rather than play two or three times per week off the MLB bench.”
—No, it isn’t. Baty has nothing to learn in the minors, having succeeded at every level and in every repetition at levels, whereas he’s failed four years straight in the majors. At least in MLB this year he showed he’s a fairly competent major league 2Bman, which opens up opportunities on other MLB squads. He’s not going to learn to hit MLB pitching in Syracuse.
For Baty to succeed he looks exactly like every other AAAA player who needed 600 MLB PA in a season with a team that’ll win 60-70 games and can afford in his case to leave him at 3B or 2B all year.
That said, he was the least competent looking player I’ve ever seen in the majors. Gum hanging out of his mouth, actually drooling at times while he chewed, bouncing up and down WHILE the pitcher was delivering to the plate. It may be a case that he’s just not bright enough to handle the challenges.
so what your saying is getting maybe 5-6 at bats a week because he wouldnt even be the primary pinch hitter with marte and/or winker ahead of him on that. He would be getting maybe 1 day a week on the field is better than playing everyday in the minors? It also give him more time at 2b
If he stayed up who would you send down? Acuna who has been playing better than him who has more versatility and adds speed to the basepaths and is your only backup SS? If you send down Azocar you have no backup CF in the minors just experiments. I think best bet is to hone his craft as an every 2b as he is still relatively new to the position or give him some of/cf experiment and see how he handles it.
Baty gives every evidence of needing to become acclimated to the majors in order to succeed there, and he’s not going to face anything in AAA that’s going to teach him anything. What does succeeding for literally the sixth time through the upper minors at 25 do for him?
As for spending the year becoming slightly better at 2B in AAA (by NOT watching and talking to and learning directly from major leaguers up close, apparently), that isn’t going to do anything of significance for him or for the Mets.
while that may be true he has gotten extended looks in the majors multiple times and has not produced. Maybe its more a change of scenery thats needed but do you lessen the the overall team by having someone that is maybe 3rd option in any of the positions he plays and probably also 3rd off the bench for pinch hitting to tutor someone that might have 4 or 5 at bats a week and doesnt offer much else as there are even backups that are ahead of him in the pecking order.
About learning why did he not learn these things over his first 600 at bats over all the years including 100+ games a couple years ago. sadly the major leaguers are pretty much the same from that year than this year. Pitching has been the big turnover and not so much on the position side with people he came up with getting called up. Soto is really the only big name added position wise.
Baty is garbage.
Projection much?
It’s based on reality.
The McNasty1, your past comments shows how far from reality you really are at times.
I speak the unabashed truth.
I dont comment in half truths or hyperbole.
“Baty is garbage”
You should look up the definition of hyperbole you dope
Tell Baty he is in the minors until he cuts his Ks to something less than 150/600 ABs. He also needs to learn how to hit lefties.
Here is a trade the Mets might like. Brett Baty, Alex Ramirez, Jonah Tong and Joel Pintaro for Luis Robert and Miguel Vargas.
Id make that trade if I were the White Sox.
Ew.
Mets fans everywhere.
Batt is a bust. Trade him out of New York.
Baty hit .333 over his last 18 ABs with a .429 OBP.
Think this is bad timing, bad decision, and hope he can find a new team.
Mets can use lefty bats like his.
His new team is the Syracuse Mets and he’ll be rejoining the New York Mets when there’s an injury. That’s the way it works when you have minor league options.