The goal of every big league ball player is to make the impact plays that help the team win. If that comes at the plate or in the field, everyone wants to be the guy who makes things happen when it matters.
Brett Baty had the rare treat of doing both in the Mets’ 7-5 win on Monday night, overturning a 4-0 deficit against the Los Angeles Angels.
“Just trying to have quality at-bats, hit the ball hard, and play good defense,” Baty said of his performance on both sides of the ball. “I feel like I’m in a good spot.”
His first big moment of the game came with two down in the home half of the fourth with Jeff McNeil on first and the Mets in a 4-0 hole. Facing lefty Tyler Anderson, Baty got ahead 2-0 with a good eye laying off a tough low-and-away slider. He then got a sinker that slid right into the happy zone and put the barrel on the ball to drive it 404 feet to right-center for a two-run home run, his 11th on the season and second of the current homestand.
Despite it being Baty’s first home run off a left-handed pitcher on the season, the lefty swinger said taking the southpaw deep didn’t mean anything extra. “Just trying to have quality at-bats,” he said after a quick shake of the head.
With one out in the top of the seventh and runners on the corners, after the Angels pushed their lead back to three runs, Baty leaped to field a Jo Adell chopper, collected himself, and threw home to easily nab Mike Trout at the plate. It wasn't that difficult of a play, but one his opposite number, Yoán Moncada, failed to make later in the game that saw Baty score the game-winning run.
“I thought they were both good,” Baty said of his homer and throw to the plate.
Was one more pivotal than the other? “No, I think without either one of those, then I don’t know if we win the game, so I think both of them were crucial for sure.”
Manager Carlos Mendoza feels like the young infielder is “getting to a point now where like every little thing that he does, he knows that it’s meaningful.”
“Good player that is having good results, offensively, defensively – not only at third, [but] at second base,” Mendoza said. “Just good to see him continue to develop here.”
In the last 13 games, Baty has been seeing the ball much better, with 11 hits in 35 at-bats (.314), including three home runs and five RBI. Asked if anything has changed, he just shook his head once more, "No, I'm just trying to be the best player I can be. Just trying to have quality at-bats, I feel like I did when I started the year, feel like I did when I was in spring training, so, just trying to be me.”
Mendoza called Baty a “confident player” who is getting results thanks in part to knowing that he’s going to be in the lineup each day.
“He continues to help us win baseball games,” Mendoza said, adding that at the big league level, “It’s all about winning here. And, a lot of times, when you come from the minor leagues, it takes some time” to adjust to making the winning play every time.
"Like, ‘hey, man, it’s a team effort here,’” the skipper continued. “If you get a guy over, if you make a play, you [might be] 0-for-4, but you’re still contributing."
The one spot Baty may have just been a tick slow came on the basepaths in the eighth inning when Francisco Alvarez lined a double off the wall in right field with one out and the score tied. “I just wish I could have scored for him on that double,” Baty said of the catcher playing in his first game back in the big leagues after a stint at Triple-A.
Of course, Baty is being a bit harsh on himself. The ball only found the wall because Angels right fielder Chris Taylor misplayed the drive and likely should have come up with the catch. Baty got near second base before he started backtracking toward first as Taylor looked settled under the ball, but he still managed to speed around to third when the ball fell in.
When Baty crossed the plate after Moncada’s throw got past Angels catcher Logan O'Hoppe one batter later, his baserunning ‘mistake’ was totally forgotten.
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