The hot corner as it’s called is one of the premium positions in all of baseball. Third base is a position every team has to have to succeed. Guys like Nolan Arenado, Rafael Devers, and Manny Machado are some of the best players in the game today. For the New York Mets, life on the hot corner has been difficult ever since the retirement of a captain.
The Mets had it good with David Wright. A guy who, in his prime, put-up perennial MVP numbers and was one of the best stars the Mets ever developed from the farm. Right up there with Tom Seaver, Jacob deGrom, Dwight Gooden, and Darryl Strawberry. In terms of all-time great Mets, he’s easily up there with Seaver and Mike Piazza. Injuries caught up to him and forced him to hang it up after the 2018 season. Since then, it’s been a struggle for the Mets to find his successor. Rookie Brett Baty mans the position and he’s been rough to watch so far.
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What Should the Mets Do at Third Base for 2024?
The Brett Baty Question
Since Wright’s retirement, the Mets have fielded Todd Frazier, J.D. Davis, Luis Guillorme, Jonathan Villar, and Eduardo Escobar at third base leading up to Baty’s arrival. Neither really worked out. It’s similar to the Mets’ previous situation at catcher before Francisco Alvarez. The team went on a long 17-year road to finally find a franchise catcher after the departure of Piazza. Escobar signed with New York last offseason and struggled before getting hot in September.
With Baty lurking, Escobar needed a bounce-back season, but he only had nine hits through April. Baty was called up in the middle of April, but unlike his rookie counterpart who has become a star, Baty hasn’t been able to rise to the occasion. Through 70 games, Baty’s slash line is .239/.305/.367. Last year when Baty was up for 11 games before going down with an injury, he was slashing .184/.244/342. Baty’s hit 7 home runs and 24 RBI this year and even for a rookie that’s simply not good enough for a guy expected to do more. His defense, which he struggled with in the minors, is still a problem. He already had a bad defensive mishap on a double-play attempt in Philadelphia. His latest error happened on Saturday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers in primetime.
Oh my goodness 😳
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 16, 2023
What is happening in Queens?… pic.twitter.com/FAG4ZxHuWu
Plays like this and the error against the Phillies are troubling despite his rookie status. If the Mets aren’t going to get anything from Baty on defense, then he has to contribute on offense, but of course, that’s been a problem as well. Baty is 23 years old and not every Mets rookie will be Alvarez. There is still plenty of room to grow for Baty and the hope is he can finish the season well. The problem is that the Mets need that development to happen soon because this team is still trying to win. They aren’t a team in a rebuild, as of yet, to give Baty the time he needs. He has to do it himself.
Offseason Options in 2024
The Mets have already dug up the free agent well at the position with guys like Frazier and Escobar. Infamously, they tried to do it again by attempting to sign Carlos Correa this past offseason who would’ve played third base. That deal fell apart due to medical concerns, and Correa ended up back in Minnesota with the Twins. Correa is currently having the worst season of his career; however, his worst season still sees him with 12 home runs and 42 RBI. Not only is that way higher than Baty’s totals, but his 42 RBI is higher than Jeff McNeil’s (28) and Starling Marte’s (also 28). There’s a reason the Mets, or better yet owner Steve Cohen, tried to sign him. This year’s free-agent options are a little thin.
The big prize would be slugger Matt Chapman who has the same amount of home runs and RBI as Correa, but a much higher WAR at 3.9 to Correa’s 1.3. The Mets could look at a reunion with Justin Turner, but he’s 38 years old. Other names such as Evan Longoria and Josh Donaldson would be available, but the Mets would be better off running with Baty again than those two. Swooping a trade for St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado would be ideal, but the Mets aren’t buying at the trade deadline right now. It would have to happen during the offseason but that should only be the case if they’ve completely lost faith in Baty after watching his 2023 season fully. The best bet is Baty will be the starting third baseman next year. If so, he’ll need to take a step in the right direction.
Main photo credits:
Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Players mentioned:
Nolan Arenado, Rafael Devers, Manny Machado, David Wright, Tom Seaver, Jacob deGrom, Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, Mike Piazza, Brett Baty, Todd Frazier, J.D. Davis, Luis Guillorme, Jonathan Villar, Eduardo Escobar, Francisco Alvarez, Carlos Correa, Jeff McNeil, Starling Marte, Matt Chapman, Justin Turner, Evan Longoria, Josh Donaldson
