The New York Mets haven’t made any sweeping declarations, but the signs are there if you’re listening. Vientos was called up, Jared Young was sent down, and Jesse Winker is set to begin a rehab assignment. The roster is shifting, and the sound beneath it is growing louder. Somewhere, Agent Smith is adjusting his tie, and for the players on the bubble, that oncoming train feels less like a threat, and more like an inevitability.

Brett Baty hears it. He must. The static in the air and the rush of wind in the subway tunnel are the same pressure that Ronny Mauricio found not long ago, an unspoken challenge measured in plate appearances and exit velocity. Mauricio met it head-on and lived to fight another day. Now the light is on Baty because someone will have to make a move before that train gets any closer, and it’s almost too late to jump clear.

For the NY Mets, every game brings the roster closer to a decision, and Brett Baty is running out of opportunities to make a more consistent impact.

It hasn’t been a disaster for Baty, but just not enough to believe something is changing either. He’s hitting .231 on the season with a .694 OPS, eight home runs, and 27 RBI. And while a recent five-game stretch has padded the box score with eight hits, the bigger picture hasn’t changed much. Since June 1, he’s batting .200 with just three extra-base hits and 19 strikeouts in 70 at-bats. He’s played in 20 games over that stretch, starting 17 of them. The opportunities have been there. The contact? Not nearly enough.

It’s not that Baty hasn’t shown flashes. He has. But every glimpse of progress seems to be followed by another lull, and the Mets aren’t in a position to wait for consistency anymore. With Jesse Winker set to start rehab this weekend, the pressure to perform is closing in fast.

Ronny Mauricio found himself in almost the same situation this week when Mark Vientos returned from the IL. With just 44 major league games under his belt and still working his way back after missing all of 2024, Mauricio hasn’t dazzled yet, but he’s steadily proving he belongs. Going 7-for-21 over his last seven games with a home run and three RBI, he’s showing glimpses of the player he can become.

Baty, on the other hand, has already logged over 200 major league games. That’s not a player still writing his introduction, it’s someone whose trends are starting to read like conclusions. The inconsistencies don’t feel like growing pains anymore; they feel like a loop. Vientos returned and reclaimed his place. Winker is on his way. If Baty wants to stay, he’ll need to do more than hold his ground. Because whether he’s ready or not, the moment is coming, and this time, there’s no dodging it.