Jul 20, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; New York Mets second baseman Brett Baty (7) prior to the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Brett Baty is not a right fielder, and it is something that has become clear in this experimental season as a super-utility man.
So, with five natural outfielders on the roster, his presence in right field on Wednesday afternoon was plenty puzzling — and the spotlight only intensified
With the Mets up 1-0 with two outs and two on in the bottom of the second, Milwaukee’s Joey Ortiz lifted a Christian Scott offering to right that Baty should have caught, but could not track down at the warning track. Two runs came in to score, and Christian Yelich followed with an RBI single.
The Mets ultimately fell 4-3, with those three runs proving to be the difference.
“Three runs are on me right there, and that’s the difference in the game, so gotta make that play,” Baty said. “Felt like I got a good read on it, but then got back to the track and it tailed on me a little bit more. But that play has to be made.”
For all the preaching of run prevention while building this abysmal team, president of baseball operations David Stearns sure has missed the mark when it came to creating a defensively sound squad.
Only the Washington Nationals and San Francisco Giants have committed more errors than the Mets’ 69 this season. Their minus-16 outs above average ranks 24th in the majors.
It’s a byproduct of Stearns’ roster construction, which has coupled veterans playing away from their natural positions (Jorge Polanco, Bo Bichette, Baty) with poor fielders (Mark Vientos, Juan Soto) and shocking regressions from usually sound defenders like shortstop Francisco Lindor.
Wednesday’s events could have been avoided had Tyrone Taylor — one of the better defensive outfielders in baseball — gotten the start in right, but this constant philosophy of defensive alignments, rife with players out of position, feels like Stearns trying to prove a point rather than prioritizing winning.
For more on Brett Baty and the Mets, visit AMNY.com
