Brett

Baty

With Luis Robert Jr. off the injured list, there was an expectation that the Mets would rotate through their outfielders, but Robert Jr. is on the bench for this one too. Brett Baty will start in right field, which will allow Jorge Polanco to DH and Marcus Semien to play second base. There will be a logjam at certain positions over the next week or so until the Mets can trade some players away.

The Mets are being careful to ease Polanco back into full-time action following his extended stay on the injured list. Juan Soto will serve as the team’s designated hitter in his place on Sunday while Brett Baty draws a start in right field and will bat eighth against Phillies’ right-hander Alan Rangel.

Baty led off the seventh inning with a 378-foot (95.6-mph EV) solo shot off of Aaron Nola that extended the Mets’ lead to 2-0. He also singled in the contest. With his two-hit attack, the 26-year-old infielder is now slashing .224/.299/.327 with five homers, 32 RBI and five stolen bases across his 332 plate appearances.

The Mets aren’t going to take any chances with the All-Star break looming at the conclusion of the weekend. Virtually every player is dealing with bumps and bruises at this juncture of the season. Bichette has delivered at the dish recently, hitting .309 (38-for-123) with five homers and 19 RBI over his last 30 games. There’s a decent chance he’s back for Sunday’s first-half finale. It’ll be Brett Baty taking over at the hot corner for the second straight contest.

In a game where the Mets mustered 10 hits, only two went for extra-bases and they only scratched across two runs. Baty scored both of those and hit a home run in the process. He also had a 111 mph lineout and 106 mph single, accounting for three of their five hardest hit balls on the night. While he was an unmitigated disaster at the plate for the first few months of the season, he’s currently riding a 10-game hitting streak, stole a base in consecutive games, has loud tools, and has started 19 consecutive games.

Despite hitting .147/.261/.173 in 27 games in June, the Mets continue to play Baty at second base against right-handed pitching. Ronny Mauricio has made only one start in the last month, so there doesn’t seem to be any threat to Baty’s playing time. We would not be trusting him in fantasy leagues, though. Tyrone Taylor will make his first start against right-handed pitching since coming off the injured list, starting in left field and batting ninth.

Mauricio fractured his left thumb on May 3rd and was expected to miss six to eight weeks, so he’s right on track in his recovery. With how much the Mets’ bats have slumped, it wouldn’t be out of the question for him to come back and push Brett Baty, Eric Wagaman, or Jared Young back to the minors. Mark Vientos has no minor league options left, which is why he will likely remain.

Baty played a big role in Bryce Elder’s regression game by reaching four times. The former top prospect has been given a long leash as the primary third baseman with Francisco Lindor sidelined and Bo Bichette filling in at shortstop, but he hasn’t shown he’s an everyday regular once the club has everyone healthy. The multi-position eligibility has helped in deeper fantasy formats, however.

Baty receives his first day off since May 10. Bo Bichette takes over at third base with Vidal Bruján getting a rare opportunity at shortstop.

Baty’s home run was his third of the year. He hit a solo shot off Jake Irvin in the fourth inning. Baty is quietly 13-for-41 (.317) with seven runs, two home runs and eight RBI over his last 12 games. With a hot bat and eligibility at multiple positions, he’s worth rostering in mixed leagues.