{"id":56095,"date":"2025-04-25T08:04:24","date_gmt":"2025-04-25T08:04:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=56095"},"modified":"2025-04-25T08:05:22","modified_gmt":"2025-04-25T08:05:22","slug":"mets-send-down-surging-infielder-as-jeff-mcneil-returns-from-injured-list","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=56095","title":{"rendered":"Mets send down surging infielder as Jeff McNeil returns from injured list"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Mets
Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The New York Mets made a move Thursday night that might\u2019ve felt like swapping a blooming plant for a trusted old tree \u2014 logical, but tough.<\/p>\n

As Jeff McNeil rejoined the roster from the injured list, the team chose to option young infielder Brett Baty to Triple-A Syracuse, a decision that was less about performance and more about roster math.<\/p>\n

\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Catcher Hayden Senger was also sent down to make room for Francisco Alvarez.<\/p>\n

Bad Stats, Better Timing<\/strong><\/h3>\n

On paper, Baty\u2019s season numbers didn\u2019t exactly jump off the page \u2014 a .204\/.246\/.352 slash line and a wRC+ of 68, which puts him well below league average. That kind of production is hard to carry, especially from a roster spot that\u2019s expected to produce daily.<\/p>\n

\"Mets
Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But baseball isn\u2019t just a numbers game. Sometimes, it\u2019s about the rhythm, the feel \u2014 and Baty was starting to find his.<\/p>\n

Over the past nine games, he was slashing a robust .296\/.367\/.556, sporting a 156 wRC+ that suggested a player finally seeing daylight after weeks of overcast at-bats. It was like watching someone finally figure out the Rubik\u2019s Cube after spinning it in frustration for weeks.<\/p>\n

Learning on the Fly<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Baty wasn\u2019t just trying to hit \u2014 he was learning a new position at the same time. In an effort to provide the team with flexibility and himself with opportunity, he started picking up reps at second base during spring training. Imagine trying to rewire a house while still living in it \u2014 that\u2019s the kind of juggling act Baty was dealing with.<\/p>\n

And yet, he was starting to make it work, both defensively and offensively. The timing of the demotion stings a little more because of it.<\/p>\n

Mets insider Anthony DiComo summed it up well on X: \u201cNo big surprise, though it comes at a time when he had begun hitting, with a .993 OPS over his last eight games.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n

The Mets have optioned Brett Baty to Triple-A Syracuse to clear roster space for Jeff McNeil. No big surprise, though it comes at a time when he had begun hitting, with a .993 OPS over his last eight games.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/twitter.com\/firesidemets\/status\/1915565441478779356?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1915565441478779356%7Ctwgr%5E8a7bff8776c74c9a20b9e4a172fa72e0ebfed4cc%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fempiresportsmedia.com%2Fnew-york-mets%2Fmets-send-down-surging-infielder-as-jeff-mcneil-returns-from-injured-list%2F<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n

Roster Math and Tough Calls<\/strong><\/h3>\n

With McNeil healthy again, the Mets were forced into a roster squeeze. The decision wasn\u2019t just about who was hot \u2014 it was about who had options. Sending down Jose Azocar instead of Baty would\u2019ve required putting him through waivers, a gamble the Mets weren\u2019t willing to take.<\/p>\n

\"Mets
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So Baty, the player who was finally turning the corner, got the short end of the stick.<\/p>\n

Back to Syracuse, But Not Backward<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Now, Baty heads back to Triple-A, but it\u2019s not the kind of demotion that screams failure. It\u2019s more like being asked to rehearse a bit longer before stepping back on stage.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s shown he can adjust, adapt, and improve. That\u2019s not nothing. In fact, it\u2019s exactly what he\u2019ll need to do again \u2014 just one level down.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The New York Mets were faced with a roster crunch, and infielder Brett Baty was the one getting the bad news on Thursday night<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":56100,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-56095","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\nMets send down surging infielder as Jeff McNeil returns from injured list - News 365<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=56095\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Mets send down surging infielder as Jeff McNeil returns from injured list - News 365\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The New York Mets were faced with a roster crunch, and infielder Brett Baty was the one getting the bad news on Thursday night\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=56095\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"News 365\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-04-25T08:04:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-04-25T08:05:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Thiet-ke-chua-co-ten-230.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"MrLuu\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"MrLuu\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=56095\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=56095\",\"name\":\"Mets send down surging infielder as Jeff McNeil returns from injured list - 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