It shouldn’t be surprising that the emergence of a young third baseman has helped the New York Mets catapult into a playoff spot. However, not many would have expected Mark Vientos to be that youngster. With the slugger establishing himself in the majors, the Mets could be enticed to trade Brett Baty in a potentially impactful deal.
Trade deadline https://t.co/508UjSICjg
— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) July 26, 2024
Many expect New York to make marginal improvements to the roster rather than push for a major upgrade. But some wonder if the team’s ascent in the standings could motivate David Stearns to make more of an “all-in” type of move.
If so, Andy Martino of SNY reports that teams will express interest in Baty. Martino’s report doesn’t indicate how open New York is to dealing the former first-round pick. But, it does mention the Tampa Bay Rays as a team that’s shown interest in him in the past.
That said, it’s unclear whether Tampa Bay has a similar amount of interest, or any at all, in Baty at this point. The third baseman struggled once again in the majors this season despite getting off to a hot start.
Mets Could Go “All-In” and Trade Brett Baty
In 50 games, the 24-year-old Baty hit .229/.306/.327 (84 OPS+) with slightly below league-average walk and strikeout rates. At times, he looked like he was gaining confidence and finally figuring it out at the big-league level.
Unfortunately, his numbers were only slightly better than his career slash of .215/.282/.325 (71 OPS+) in 602 plate appearances. Baty has always hit the ball hard, but too often on the ground. New York has worked with Baty on lifting the ball more to access more of his power.
That ability has yet to translate to the majors, and it looks like Vientos snatched the long-term third base job away from him. With the Mets surging, the team could look to trade Baty for an impactful player while he still has some value. The Mets look like a real contender to make a deep playoff run, and Baty’s trade value might never be higher.
Dealing Baty is Not an Easy Decision
Despite the struggles in the majors, Baty has done nothing but mash in the minors. This season, he has hit .284/.372/.567 with 11 homers in 37 Triple-A games. This success continues the offensive prowess that he has shown throughout his minor-league experience.
Brett Baty just launched his 10th homer of the season for the Syracuse Mets. He also has a double tonight.
OPS up to .919 (and counting) in 35 Triple-A games.
pic.twitter.com/FY7z2i4ZJJ— MetsMinors.Net (@Mets_Minors) July 23, 2024
His success in the minors likely reminds the Mets of Baty’s potential. It might also provide hope that he will eventually reach his potential in the majors. Plus, Baty might have a fit on the 2025 roster if Pete Alonso and J.D. Martinez don’t return.
It’s tough to give up on talented former top prospects, and it’s unclear how motivated the Mets are to include Baty in a trade. But, the team is firing on all cylinders right now and looks primed to make a postseason run.
If Baty struggles in his next major-league opportunity, his value could crash to almost nothing. The Mets could become legitimate World Series contenders by using Baty in a trade for a needle-moving player. It might be years before the team has this type of opportunity again.
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