3 New York Mets to blame for embarrassing series loss to Reds
By Mark Powell
New York Mets to blame: Brett Baty
Calling up Brett Baty remains the right decision for New York. Eduardo Escobar was not playing well, and while he may have a role on this team moving forward, it should not come at Baty’s primary position.
That being said, Baty had a rough series. Baty went 0-for-9 in three games, and has to get back on track if he wants to see regular playing time in this lineup. A day off may be in order for the youngster as he tries to avoid a deflating slump this early in his big-league career.
In fact, it’s really, really important Baty plays well. His success could convince Billy Eppler, a notoriously-timid decision maker, to continue to call up young talent to surround this group of stable, yet under-achieving, veterans. Rising Apple’s Tim Boyle pointed this out a few days ago:
"“Baty’s early success in 2023 should be enough to convince Eppler, Cohen, and everyone else in the front office that a fix might be right there in front of you. Sometimes the IKEA instructions say you can build your new dresser with only the flimsy wrench they provided. Often, you need to hammer in a few screws along the way. Baty has been the hammer.”"
An 0-for-9 slump shouldn’t be enough to convince Eppler to be cautious, but it’s a step in the wrong direction.