If you had checked in on New York Mets‘ Brett Baty during the first week of the season, you might’ve wondered if he accidentally picked up someone else’s bat.
The swings were hesitant, the contact minimal, and the numbers downright grim.
But baseball, like the weather in April, can turn quickly—and Baty is starting to show signs of sunshine.
A Much-Needed Wake-Up Swing
Wednesday’s series finale against the Phillies gave us the most compelling version of Baty yet. With Zack Wheeler on the mound—hardly a pushover—the Mets infielder got a pitch over the heart of the plate and didn’t just make contact, he launched it.
The ball left his bat at 114 mph and crashed into the second deck of Citi Field like it had somewhere urgent to be. That was his first home run of the season, and it wasn’t one of those wall-scrapers you have to squint at—it was a statement.
Growing Pains and Glimpses of Growth
Baty’s early season struggles weren’t subtle. In his first 10 games, from March 28 through April 9, he hit .111 with a wRC+ that dipped into the negatives—a staggering -30, to be exact.
That’s not just cold, that’s frozen-solid-in-the-back-of-the-freezer kind of cold. Whispers of a demotion floated through the air like the smell of hot dogs in the ballpark.
But from April 12 to the 21st, something clicked. He started seeing the ball better, taking smarter swings, and becoming a tougher out. He hit .282 with a 125 wRC+—a total reversal of fortune, and that doesn’t even include today’s homer and stats.
It’s the kind of turnaround that doesn’t happen unless a player adjusts, trusts the process, and believes he belongs.
No More Minor League Safety Net
This is where Baty needs to be. With a career .889 OPS in the minors, he’s already passed that test with flying colors. Sending him back now would be like sending a college grad back to high school to review algebra—they’ve seen all the problems before, and the challenge just isn’t there.
The majors are where he’s learning to adapt in real time, facing elite pitching and figuring out how to compete—not just survive.
Decisions Looming, but Performance Talks
When Jeff McNeil is ready to return, the Mets are going to face a roster puzzle. But right now, neither Baty nor Luisangel Acuña is playing like someone who should be packing a bag.
Baty may still be dancing near the Mendoza line, but he’s swinging like he knows the music.