Brett Baty made the difference as the Mets take their series from the Pirates
Brett Baty hit a solo homer in the seventh to give the Mets the lead for good on Tuesday night
What’s up with the Mets? ⚾
The Mets defeated the Pirates 2-1 on Tuesday night at Citi Field (box | highlights)
Kodai Senga started for the Mets, had to navigate a bit of traffic, but settled in to allow just a run on six hits with seven strikeouts over 5.2 IP
Brett Baty hit a clutch, go-ahead home run in the seventh inning to put the Mets ahead for good
The bullpen turned in 3.1 IP of scoreless relief - Edwin Díaz earned his 9th save of the season in what was a dicey 9th inning
Who’s Hot? 🔥
Over his last 26 games, Mark Vientos is hitting .309/.352/.526 with four doubles, a triple, five home runs and 16 RBI with 30 hits and 17 runs scored
Over his last 14 games, Brandon Nimmo is hitting .294/.379/.627 with five doubles, four home runs, 14 RBI, 15 hits and ten runs scored
Kodai Senga has yet to allow more than two earned runs in any start this season. He has allowed one earned run or less in six of his first eight starts to the tune of a 1.22 ERA, the best in the National League
Stat of the Day 📊
The Mets are the first team in Major League history to have five of their starters post a sub-3.15 ERA and 40+ strikeouts through their first eight starts of a season (Canning, Holmes, Megill, Peterson, Senga), via
Play of the Game 🌟
Brett Baty gave the Mets the lead for good on Tuesday with an opposite field solo home run in the seventh inning. It was his fourth home run in six games since returning from Triple-A Syracuse:
Down on the Farm 🌾
INF Jared Young (Triple-A Syracuse): 2-for-5, 2 HR, 2 RBI
LHP Zach Thornton (Double-A Binghamton): 7 IP, 3 H, 6 K, ND
OF Carson Benge (no. 3 prospect, High-A Brooklyn): 1-for-2, 3B, BB, 2 RBI
INF Colin Houck (no. 30 prospect, Low-A St. Lucie): 1-for-3, Grand Slam, BB
BOX SCORES
Single-A STL | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR
Today’s Game 🗓️
Match-up: Mets (28-15) vs. Pirates (14-29)
Where: Citi Field — Flushing, NY
Starters: RHP Clay Holmes (5-1, 2.74 ERA) vs. LHP Bailey Falter (2-3, 4.36 ERA)
When: 7:10 PM EDT
Where to Watch: SNY
Maybe Brett Baty got a wake up call? ✍️
Not only has Brett Baty returned to the big leagues looking like a different player, he’s making a difference and helping the team win.
I mean, obviously, right? His home run on Tuesday night couldn’t have come at a better time. Home runs and RBI in close and late situations matter the most, and Brett Baty found a way to help the Mets win a ballgame and their third series in a row. He drove a pretty good pitch on the outer half of the plate the other way and just over the left field wall with a line driver homer, which gave the Mets the lead for good.
But it’s always about the bigger picture, isn’t it? Especially for Baty, who had yet another hot spring followed by another bid for a job in the big leagues during April, only to lose his spot again and go back to the minor leagues. It just seemed like his time was running out, and that a change of scenery seemed certain at some point over the next calendar year thanks to Luisangel Acuña’s ascent and added value to the roster.
But here he is again, and Baty now looks like a different hitter with a reformed approach at the plate. And whatever he’s brought back from the minor leagues is suddenly paying immediate dividends.
Maybe this was the wakeup call he needed.
When he was sent down to the minors a couple of weeks ago, he went with a .597 OPS on the year. He looked tentative, looked like he was feeling for pitches and perhaps looking for the perfect pitch, and just wasn’t making a lot of meaningful contact at the plate.
But this is a different hitter with a different approach at the plate now. He’s attacking, he’s more aggressive inside the strike zone, and that approach is a winning approach, and one that can earn him not only a job on the roster but a long-term everyday job if he keeps it up.
Baty’s hot streak has also seemed to light a fire under Mark Vientos at third.
The question is, what does this all look like in the larger sample size? Baty has had a nice week, and a big week for his career. But how does he maintain this adjustment and how does he do that once the league edits their book on him?
That’s always the key for a young player, especially one who is continually out there trying to prove himself. We’re seeing that to an extent with Vientos, but he seems to have figured it out over the last month or so of play and is not the lineup liability he was through the middle to latter part of April.
Now, it’s Baty’s turn.
Either way, I am always rooting for Baty. I hated to see him struggle. He was wearing it on his face, and he just seemed too physically talented to have the kind of problems he had. But he’s showing that perhaps his problems in between the ears and he’s finally put those demons to rest.
As I always like to say, time will tell. These are all great signs for the kid, and I want him to create a good problem for the front office.
Around the League 🚩
MLB reinstated Pete Rose, Shoeless Joe Jackson and 15 other players posthumously from the ineligible list - the Hall of Fame said all of the reinstated players are eligible to be elected
The Braves pulled even at 21-21 with a 5-2 win over the Nationals
Fernando Tatís Jr hit a two-run walk off home run as the Padres beat the Angels 6-4
The A’s smothered 18 hits on the Dodgers as they whipped LA 11-1
The Mariners edged the Yankees 2-1 in 11 innings - JP Crawford walked it off for Seattle with an RBI single in the 11th inning
Chalk up another win. There must be some concern about the unusual number of errors and misplays by Lindor. Does he occasionally need a blow from Acuna, is his vision or reaction time slowing? Don't think they can afford to rationalize whatever it is as he is an essential player to reaching the World Series
No one is going to hang these first two games in the Met. But, I always find it encouraging when the team isn’t firing and yet beats the team it needs to. Uncharacteristically sloppy game last night. Lindor made a rare bad throw, Vientos tried the novel approach of playing the hot corner without a proper webbing in his glove, and Baty even had butterfingers on the transfer after corralling a pop-up. Also, conditions weren’t ideal as Taylor wiping out on the wet grass going after a double ended up costing the Mets an extra base on the play. But, they did what they needed to do when they needed it.
Diaz hit 99 again as well. From my seats Saturday, that game against the Cubs was the best he had looked to date. Following that up with another good outing is really encouraging. He looks closer to 22 Diaz than he did at nearly every point last year. Nondescript series wins are some important pieces. Definitely be nice to close a 5-1 home stand tonight if they play!