Why Brett Baty's Offensive Resurgence over Last Month Is Fool's Gold

The dog days of summer saw Brett Baty enjoy an offensive surge, but the Mets can't let that change the overall outlook on the infielder.

Even though New York Mets third baseman Brett Baty has played well lately, the team shouldn't immediately bring him back for 2027. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Mets have been tearing the cover off the ball lately, and Brett Baty has played a big role in that offensive success, once again showcasing his talents.

Over his last 18 games, Baty is slashing .357/.404/.667 with 15 hits, seven doubles, two home runs, four walks, five runs scored, and 12 RBIs. He has a hit in his last six games, although he's currently dealing with left knee pain.

However, the problem with Baty has never been the talent levels. We all know he's got a lot of ability, but the issue has always been a real lack of consistency. Therefore, it is probably best not to be fooled by this recent hot streak when thinking about the future.

Why the Mets would still be wise to part with Brett Baty despite his recent offensive success

We've seen this story play out way too many times before already, both with Baty and the rest of the "Baby Mets". They go into prolonged slumps, but then, just like the Godfather, they pull you back in, going on an absolute tear that reminds you of their high ceiling.

The past is always a reliable guide, though, and history tells us that Baty is probably never going to hit the kind of highs we've seen over the last month on a consistently enough level. I mean, he's been in the majors for four or so years now; if he hasn't been able to put it all together by now, is it likely he will be able to do it in the future?

Of course, the Mets do have to take a large chunk of the blame for Baty's development, or lack thereof. They decided to turn the infielder into a super utility player, and I think a lack of stability position-wise has led to regression at the plate.

New York Mets' super utilityman Brett Baty is slashing .357/.404/.667 with seven doubles, two home runs and 12 RBIs across his last 18 games. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Baty may offer some value due to his versatility, but I don't think that is reason enough to keep him around. There is also an argument to be made that Baty could end up sharing the second base job with Marcus Semien in 2027, given the veteran's own struggles. However, while having a set position could lead to more consistent offense, there is no guarantee it happens.

Furthermore, the Mets have a slew of young infielders who could compete for the second base job out of spring training, including top prospect Jefferson Rojas. With Mitch Voit also lighting up the minor leagues, I think it would be foolish of the Mets to have two players blocking the path of two prospects who look to be the future of this team.

Overall, with a return to contention being the goal in 2027, I don't think the Mets can afford to waste any more time hoping that Baty will turn into some sort of offensive juggernaut. That's wishful thinking when seeing Baty's 86 wRC+ in 2026. This hot streak is just that, nothing more, and it shouldn't stop the Mets from non-tendering Baty this offseason, which could be the wise decision given that he's about to enter his arbitration years.

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