Brett Baty Must Recognize Consequences as His Mets Season Goes Awry

It has all come undone for the former top prospect.

Mets 3B Brett Baty is reaping what he's sowing this season. | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

After an 18-home run campaign in 2025, it finally felt as though Mets third baseman Brett Baty was settling in as a legitimate Major League contributor. His first two full seasons in the big leagues were up and down to say the least, but a season that almost doubled his career homer total and saw him post a 2.3 fWar felt like the campaign that unlocked his potential.

Entering this season, he was being counted on to be a piece of the Mets' puzzle on a playoff hunt. Much like the 2026 Mets as a whole, Baty's season is heading in the wrong direction. His season has gone completely wrong from all angles, and his standing in Queens is the worst it has ever been.

He entered the Mets' ongoing series vs. the Cubs with a .603 OPS and just three homers in 252 at-bats, which equates to a .308 slugging percentage. His 2025 mark was .435, meaning he has suffered an incredible drop of 127 points in his slugging. His average sits at an abysmal .219 with his on-base percentage not too far behind at .295. All in all, 2026 has been a disaster for Baty.

Brett Baty isn't living up to the Mets' expectations. As such, it's time to reconsider his future in Queens. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

As New York's season continues to fall off a cliff and push closer and closer to a retool or rebuild for 2027, Baty could become a victim of roster reconstruction in the coming weeks. A total of 372 games and 1,286 at-bats in his professional career, he has shown what kind of player he is, and it is unfortunate for all involved.

Barring a miracle turnaround in the coming weeks, an unfortunate reality could be staring the Mets' 2019 first-round selection square in the face.

Brett Baty's time with the Mets could be coming to a close as his 2026 struggles only grow deeper

Not only are the numbers on the back of Baty's baseball cards bad, but the underlying data paints an equally ugly picture.

Before Wednesday's doubleheader, Baty ranked in the 30th percentile or lower in four key categories per Baseball Savant: expected batting average (.223, 16th), squared-up rate (21.1%, 20th), whiff rate (28.6%, 29th), and strikeout rate (28.1%, 16th). Simply, Baty is swinging and missing, striking out, not squaring up the ball, and the baseballs he puts in play don't have the characteristics of a base hit (hit hard, lifted in the air, etc.).

The numbers don't lie: Brett Baty has been among baseball's most underwhelming hitters this season. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

As we have seen all season, this means Baty is growing accustomed to strikeouts and worm burners. To accompany this troubling development, his strikeout rate of 28.1% is the worst mark of his career. It is incredibly unfortunate for an easily likable player and a homegrown talent, but the writing is on the wall for Baty.

The Mets are trending towards becoming sellers at the trading deadline, which would also signal a youth movement on the roster during the final months. With how profoundly bad Baty has been this year, he could find himself as a candidate to be designated for assignment by the time the Aug. 3 trade deadline comes and goes.

It would be a sudden and saddening close for Baty after eight years in the organization, let alone on the heels of what felt like a breakout 2025. The performance on the field has not been good enough, and it could lead to the Mets' infielder facing the consequences of his actions before too long.