Mets infielder’s long-awaited surge puts New York in a bind

Brett Baty has always had potential that he can never seem to fully maximize. After a torrid spring training, the former top prospect looked like he might be finally turning the corner, only to get sent down to Triple-A in April after a rough start to the regular season.

But an injury to Jesse Winker opened up a roster spot, and gave Baty a second chance. He's run with it so far: Across his last 20 games, the 25-year-old is hitting .273 with a .929 OPS and five home runs. New York Mets. He's been playing with a sense of urgency, and it's paying off.

With Winker out, the Mets need a DH. With the way Baty is hitting, it would make sense to move Mark Vientos into that role and allow Baty to play third base. Vientos’ defense isn't superb, so it gives the Mets a better defense by shuffling things around. But the only way that occurs consistently is if Baty continues to hit — and therein lies the problem.

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Have the Mets finally unlocked Brett Baty?

Mets fans would love to buy into a Baty breakout performance this season. New York’s offense has been extremely inconsistent so far; Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, and Pete Alonso are unquestioned stars, but the bottom of the lineup hasn't consistently produced. If Baty’s recent hot streak isn't a fluke, he could make Carlos Mendoza’s lineup much deeper. 

Then again, we've seen this movie before. The Texas native has gotten numerous opportunities. But until now, he hasn't been a threat to opposing teams. Before 2025, Baty played 169 games with the Mets. In that stretch, he posted a lackluster .215 batting average with a .607 OPS. 

Every time Baty underperformed, he has been sent down to Triple-A. That's where he would make the Mets question the player he is, as he rakes at an elite level in the Minors: Across six Minor League seasons, the young infielder has put up a .283 batting average with a .889 OPS. This creates something of a Catch-22 for Mendoza and New York: The only way to know for sure whether Baty is a part of this team's future is to give him a runway of regular playing time, but it's hard to do so when we've been burned by his hot stretches before.

He has all the tools to be a great hitter in the big league. If his recent stretch of games is a sign that he’s finally found it, he’ll undoubtedly find his way into the Mets’ everyday lineup.