Acce s the Mets beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets. A decision that was rather simple earlier in the season was not an easy decision on Wednesday, manager Carlos Mendoza said. Sure, the Mets were facing a lefty in Bailey Falter and wanted to stuff righties into the lineup. But it has been increasingly difficult to remove Brett Batys lefty bat from the lineup. Baty Willis Reed Jersey was out of the starting lineup for , delaying adding much evidence toward answering the biggest question around the club at the moment: Is this a long-awaited breakout or merely a blip from a top prospect who has yet to taste prolonged succe s at the major league level? When [struggling top prospects] have that level of talent, theyre generally going to figure it out at some point and have some succe s at the major league level, said from Citi Field. I think were seeing that with Brett right now. Explore More The Mets have seen a different Baty for several weeks, albeit sporadically because of his trips back and forth from Syracuse. After another slow start he hit .139 with a .361 OPS after 12 games, a high-upside player who really had only flashed his downside at the big league level in 2022, 2023 and 24 it is as if a lightbulb has appeared over Batys head. He was excellent for a week, hitting a homer and two doubles during a seven-game span in which he batted .333 with a 1.040 OPS. Brett Baty heads back to the dugout after flying out in the ninth inning of the Mets 4-0 lo s to the Pirates on May 14, 2025. Corey Sipkin / New York Post For his good work, he was sent back to Triple-A Syracuse because Jeff McNeils return caused a roster squeeze. That squeeze di sipated when Je se Winker suffered a strained oblique, and the 25-year-old Baty returned with the same hot bat. CHECK OUT THE AND Baty who went 0-for-2 after entering Wednesdays lo s in the seventh as a pinch hitter for Tyrone Taylor has gone 6-for-19 (.316) with four home runs in seven games since the most recent call-up. In all, it was just a 14-game span that served as encouragement for a once promising prospect who showed few flashes of hope in his first 181 major league games. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns Jason Szenes / New York Post Stearns said he has been seeing the same Baty whom he had seen at the lower level. Its the same quality of at-bats that we have seen in Syracuse since Ive been here, Stearns said of an infielder with an .898 OPS in 97 career Triple-A games. If you go to catch a week of Brett Baty in Syracuse, you can very easily just run into a week like weve just seen here at the big leagues. So why are we seeing it now at the big league level? I dont know that I have the definitive answer for that. If I had the definitive answer, we probably would have implemented that a long time ago. It is too short a span to anoint Baty a full-time, useful major leaguer, but the way he has thrived has been encouraging. It is not as if he has blooped his way to a strong batting average; the largest problem Baty has faced for years has been balls heading south off his bat, even well-struck batted balls frequently becoming outs because he found dirt and not gra s (or seats). In his first 12 games this year, about 52 percent of his batted balls resulted in ground balls. In the 14 games since, that number has fallen to 38 percent. He pinch hit in Wednesdays seventh inning and blistered a pitch but right into the glove of pitcher Tanner Rainey. Brett Baty celebrates with teammates after hitting the go-ahead solo home run in the Mets 2-1 win over the PIrates on May 13, 2025. Jason Szenes / New York Post In the ninth, he flied out to the center field wall. It is ultimately Stearns job to decide whether the upturn is an oasis or a mirage. While Mark Vientos got the start at third and Luisangel Acua at second against Pittsburgh on Wednesday, the Mets will have more chances to see whether that lightbulb remains on. Delivering insights on all things Amazins Sign up for Inside the Mets by Mike Puma, exclusively on Sports+ Thank you By clicking above you agree to the and . Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! There are probably a variety of reasons for [Batys hot bat], Stearns said. Some of it: confidence; some of it: hes a really talented baseball player; some of it: preparation. And it kind of all combines, and weve got a pretty special week for him. Obi Toppin Jersey