Mets' Carlos Mendoza Must Find a Way to Give Brett Baty a Smaller Role

It is finally time for New York to end this experiment.

Brett Baty's performance is leaving the Mets with one clear decision to make. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Following a season in which he clubbed 18 homers, it felt as though the 2026 campaign was going to be Brett Baty's breakout season.

So far, this year has been anything but a breakout year for the Mets' current third baseman, and it could be bringing his time in Queens to a close. It has been an upside-down season, but the reality of Baty's role with the Mets in 2027 and beyond has become abundantly clear: he is not a starting-caliber bat for this team.

With Francisco Lindor having been on the sidelines for the past six weeks, Baty has been seeing regular starts at third base and is currently fourth on the team in at-bats. His glove has remained a solid asset at third, but his offense has hit a wall. After the weekend's series against the Braves, Baty owns a slash line of .231/.301/.325, which is an OPS of .626, with three homers, 26 RBIs, nine doubles and 65 strikeouts to 21 walks.

Brett Baty's performance hasn't lived up to Mets fans' expectations. | David Frerker-Imagn Images

The offensive output of the Mets' 2019 first-round selection has been subpar from the start, indicating that the supposed progress last year did not carry over into 2026. With those days clearly behind him, a new reality is setting in for Baty and the Mets.

Mets need to find a way to minimize Brett Baty's role moving forward

With the Mets' season seemingly hanging in the balance heading into the heart of their June schedule, they need to be putting their nine best bats on the field almost every day. Lindor appears to be heading for a return around June 20th, which means that the Mets will shift Bo Bichette back to third and put Lindor back into the lineup when he returns.

Lindor's return is great news for the Mets, but it puts a decisive end to Baty's starting run and could give the Mets wiggle room to make a more extreme decision with him. Assuming the Mets return to their alignment from the beginning of the season, it would mean the end of Baty's starting role and shift him into a much smaller gig with the team. Once he is in that role, it is imperative that manager Carlos Mendoza leaves him there.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza must pull the plug on the Brett Baty experiment sooner rather than later. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Baty can play any position on the infield aside from shortstop and has minor league outfield experience, which could help him in a utility role for this team moving into the summer. However, there is no justification for the Mets to continue starting him. Even looking at second base with Marcus Semien, the veteran has been turning in a solid performance over the past few weeks and is a significantly better option than Baty right now.

Baty once represented part of a new era and a new reality for the Mets, but his work has been subpar for some time now, and they need to find the minimal role possible for him. If his play slips even further, the Mets might have to make a very tough decision about his future in New York.