Brett Baty has spent enough time as the Mets’ movable piece to make one thing clear: he may not be a star, but he can still fill some real gaps.
That matters because New York has a couple of obvious openings for him to exploit next season. Baty has already put together a decent year, good for a 94 wRC+ and 1.2 fWAR, which makes him the eighth most valuable player on the club by that metric. He has bounced around all over the field, logging time at six different positions and seeing the most action at third base while also popping up around the infield and in both outfield corners.
The most interesting fit might come at second base. Marcus Semien’s first year in Queens has gone poorly enough that the Mets may need to rethink how they use him, even with several years left on his deal. Across 536 plate appearances, Semien has produced a 75 wRC+ and -0.4 fWAR, far below the level expected from a player who was once among baseball’s better second basemen.
A platoon setup could be the cleanest answer. Semien has posted just a .612 OPS against right-handed pitching, while Baty has done better there with a .732 OPS.
The split flips the other way against lefties, where Semien’s .660 OPS easily tops Baty’s .506. That creates a straightforward path to pairing the two at second base, even if it feels unusual to put a $26 million obligation in a part-time role in 2027.
Baty also brings something else that should matter to the Mets: he has handled pinch-hitting well. Over his career, he owns an .885 OPS in 41 pinch-hit plate appearances. This season, he has been even louder in that role, putting up a 1.643 OPS in 13 pinch-hit trips with two doubles, two home runs and seven RBI.
The Mets have believed in Baty’s value since he debuted and have kept searching for ways to get him into the lineup. His versatility has helped him stay in the picture, but it has also made it harder for him to settle into one clear job. He finally flashed more of the upside in 2025, when he posted a 3.0 rWAR season, and the club has been waiting to see that become the baseline.
He’ll get another shot to prove he belongs. If the Mets are looking for a way to cover second base and get a useful right-handed pinch-hitter into the mix, Baty may be the best answer they have. If not, he risks spending another season stuck in that familiar Mets limbo.
In Other News...
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Carlos Beltrans No. 15 is already part of that group, and the discussion around future Mets candidates is where the conversation gets interesting for fans. With several former players still looming as possible additions to the clubs retired-number history, the question is less about whether the Mets have enough names to consider and more about which ones will ultimately clear the standard the organization wants to set. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Attendance Dip Puts Heat On A Bigger 2027 Debate
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What makes the drop more interesting is the conversation it is setting up for 2027, where pricing strategy and roster changes are expected to stay under the microscope. Attendance rarely comes down to one factor in a market like this, and the Mets are now in the familiar spot of balancing a big-stage brand with a fan base that will notice when the product, and the price, start to drift. [Read more 🡒]