Mets infielder Brett Baty will undergo surgery tomorrow due to a torn UCL in his thumb, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Baty is potentially done for the year, as the expected recovery time is five weeks, per Will Sammon of The Athletic. Sammon adds that outfielder Terrance Gore will also be joining the team. The Mets announced that Baty has been placed on the 10-day IL retroactive to August 29.
It’s an unfortunate blow to the Mets and for Baty, personally. The 22-year-old prospect was promoted to the big leagues just under two weeks ago. He has struggled in his first 42 plate appearances, slashing just .184/.244/.342 so far. However, it’s fairly standard for young players to take some time finding their footing in their first taste of major league action. Based on his 315/.410/.533 batting line in the minors this year, it would have been reasonable to expect him finding better results as he got more exposure to big league pitching.
However, that progression will now have to wait, as Baty will apparently be out of action for the next five weeks. Since there are five weeks remaining on the regular season schedule, it will be very difficult for him to return to action and contribute down the stretch. A lengthy postseason run would surely help his chances of coming back, but even in that scenario, the club would have to view him as a better option than the more established players available for those opportunities.
For the Mets, this will leave them shorthanded on the infield, as least temporarily. Luis Guillorme is on the injured list due to a groin injury, leaving them with Pete Alonso at first, Jeff McNeil at second, Eduardo Escobar at third and Francisco Lindor at shortstop. For the moment, the club doesn’t really have a player on their bench who can reasonably play the non-first-base infield positions. Earlier this year, outfielder Mark Canha played third base for the Mets in an emergency situation, something he hadn’t done since he 2016 with the A’s. It’s possible he may be in that position again, though perhaps not for long. Rosters expand from 26 to 28 tomorrow, which should allow the Mets to bring in reinforcements. Also, Guillorme doesn’t seem to be too far away from coming back. Tim Healey of Newsday relays word from manager Buck Showalter that Guillorme will begin a rehab assignment this weekend.
As for Gore, 31, he’s never been much of a hitter but has always found work due to his speed and defense. In 102 MLB games, he’s hit just .224/.325/.284 but has 40 stolen bases in that time. The Mets signed him to a minor league deal in June, with Gore hitting .241/.313/241 in Triple-A since then. The Mets should have plenty of options for the outfield grass, with Brandon Nimmo, Starling Marte, Tyler Naquin present alongside Canha, though Gore could jump up the depth chart if Canha is needed on the dirt. Otherwise, he should be available off the bench for pinch running and defensive replacement assignments.
Sad break for a young guy. I remember his home run in his first at bat
I also remember last week
Haha Time sure does fly…
His second home run was last week. The first, referred to by Benjamin, was hit on August 17, two weeks ago today. But I laughed anyway.
@tropicana Needed that laugh …thanks friend
Yeah, that pop up homerun was nice.
You can’t stop whining about the Mets can you?
Who is whining? It was a homerun that was of a pop-up nature that barely cleared the wall…that was nice.
Gore is a good luck charm. NYM will make a deep run.
As a Philly fan, I’m sure you’re aware of the old chant for Rhyno at the ECW Arena: “GORE! GORE! GORE!”
Oh man….Only Goldberg had a better spear..
Always one of my finishers when I was creating one of my own characters on PS2 back in the day.
I totally forgot Gore was on the Braves postseason roster last year.
That sucks. Well I’m sure he will come back strong.
Are they going to call up Vientos? Must say a lot about how they feel about him being ready.
Is the legendary missed WAR expert?
Rosters expand by two tomorrow so it’s a possibility.
Vientos? Not if they need a fielder. Vientos pro rates to something like 35 errors a year, and he doesn’t compensate with range. It’s not an Ozzie Smith-like error rate, in short, where errors result from getting to a lot of balls other fielders don’t get near.
He’s a butcher. If the Mets are going to hurt themselves by continuing to platoon at DH (which has left them keeping some very slow baserunners in the game thanks to a short bench) AND adding Vientos, they’re going to pay for it.
Oh darn! He will only get a few Cooperstown votes now until he comes back.
You’ve been tolerable this season but your true colors have finally come through. Stay classy.
“Stay classy” is a statement that is ironic coming from a Mets fan considering how a great number of your fan base acts…when they’re around that is.
I mean, you’re gleefully posting when a dude has gotten injured, so yeah, ‘stay classy’ is entirely appropriate. I guess you’ve got nothing else to do, though, as the Marlins are one of the worst teams in baseball yet again (43-73 against teams not named the Nationals). Thought they were supposed to be competitive this year? Or was this year another one of those ‘any success they have is gravy because they’re building for the future’ years?
I don’t see where I gleefully posted. I was just taking another shot at your fan base.
This year is a bad year for the Marlins period. Unlike Mets fans, I won’t make excuses. Our front office failed. And the funny thing is that I did say after the first game of the season that we were done because of the way the Marlins lost that day.
But I guess this is a year for Mets fans to boast confidently. After all, this is the first time in a long time that your team was actually as good as hyped up to be. I know those are years that are few and far between, so it’s time for you all to enjoy while the getting is good. But not too much, because you still have not broken that championship drought.
Well, we have to put up with all kinds of snarky crap from everyone now. It used to just be spoiled, entitled Yankee fans but now every Mets story is an excuse for every jerk to practice being nasty. But, we are the problem. Yeah, right.
I’m guessing like most Mets fans that are around now, you don’t know how your fan base has been on the boards…or that your team has been bashed long before they had this season.
But seeing how you’re a new name on here, I think that confirms my statement in this post.
Newbie Mets fan. Welcome to the board. Clearly the weather was fine for you to come out of the woodworks.
This oft repeated narrative that Met fans around here are all obnoxious homers is completely false. There’s maybe one or two posters like that. Far more that perpetually complain about how dumb the GM is and doom and gloom. And faaaar more that seem to make a living off hating the Mets and trying to desperately create a LOL Mets narrative out of anything.
Five weeks means no rehab timing. Would the Mets roster him for postseason games? Hadn’t exactly found his footing since being called up.
Feel for the kid, but I think Esobar makes more sense in the playoffs anyway. Baty isn’t the best defensively. He looks like a Phillies player out there, but that bat is going to play in the coming years.
I agree. Escobar has looked a little rejuvenated, at least from an energy/demeanor standpoint (he was looking very frustrated earlier in the month) since he’s come back from injury. We’ll see if it translates into improved performance.
Even though you are, I’m assuming, a Phillies fan I always enjoy your posts.
Thanks. I feel like there are quite a few great Phillies and Mets posters on these boards, and I don’t even consider myself one of them.
You’re definitely the best Phillies fan poster on the site Von. Have enjoyed reading your informed posts over the years. I’m a Braves fan, btw. Wish more folks on this site were as affable, knowledgeable, and unbiased as you.
Designated runner Terrence Gore
2 rings to show for it too
Decent batting eye, 8 to 1 SB to CS ratio, picks up a WS ring once every 60 PA… and might be shorter than Altuve.
Interesting player. If the Mets try to carry Gore, though, and all of Ruf, Vogelbach, and Vientos, they’ll suffer for it even with the 28-man roster.
Robin will be replacing BATY-MAN !!
Baty looks like the real deal. Van Wagenen traded away some serious talent for Diaz but did draft and hold onto this guy.
Jury is still very much out on that trade.
Kelenic hasn’t done anything yet and Dunn has been merely okay. Bautista is toast.
Swarzak and Bruce were effective salary offsets for Cano, who was serviceable in 2019 and one of the best Mets in the short 2020 season.
“Swarzak and Bruce were effective salary offsets for Cano”
Say what?
Idk about that anymore. Kelenic was the only real piece talent wise, and he hasn’t shown up. Dunn has been mehh….certainly expendable. The Mets are on the winning side of this trade right now.
Can’t close the book on Kelenic yet.
Yea with the way Diaz is pitching right now that trade doesn’t look too bad
Believing that to be the case is like thinking it was smart to sell your house in order to buy lottery tickets with the proceeds, just because you happened to go on to win the lottery.
You know the leaves are about to change when Terrance Gore is added to a major league roster.
Tough luck for Baty. Certainly hope he heals well. Could be an opportunity for Vientos to get a call up.
184/.244/.342 so far. However, it’s fairly standard for young players to take some time finding their footing in their first taste of major league action
Not for Vaughn Grissom and Michael Harris
@fathead0507 Yes indeed, and it’s thanks to the Braves being a far better run organization, especially in the minors. For a long time they’ve been able to promote players at age 20, 21, or 22 who quickly turn into all-stars if not stars, outright, and who hit MLB running, for the most part.
That’s because of the extraordinary professionalism of their entire organization, which extends to having teenagers, from the day they’re signed, learn what it takes to succeed in the majors.
Alderson was a has-been by the time he was tasked by MLB to sell his reputation to the sleazoid Wilpons for $4m a year. He never did much with the Mets farm system. It’s going to take a few years, at least, to turn it around, and Alderson and Eppler aren’t the men for the job.
lmao Gore instead of Jankowski. Boneheaded Mets
the things that jankowski would be getting called up to do, gore is better at. this is not a boneheaded move this is them making sure their pinch runner is eligible to play for them come the postseason.
Uhh yeah that’s a completely false statement based on no evidence or understanding
Maybe the stealing ability is better but Jankowski is the superior hitter
Not to mention the fact that Jankowski signed with the Mets in the offseason and again when he was waived and they just went with something else at the last minute
Carrying a pinch runner on a roster is idiocy. So much more likely that the last guy on the bench will be needed to hit. This is some odd fan obsession. The likelihood of a pinch runner making a difference is tiny. The difference between Gore’s speed and Jankowski’s is like .0000000001/2. There’s gotta be another reason going on here, like Jankowski is still a bit banged up or something.
I think the reason was brought up by another poster on here. Jankowski was already available for the post season roster, Gore wasn’t, but now is by virtue of being called up before 9/1. This gives the Mets more flexibility for the post season – either player can be called up, instead of just one. Very smart move by the team
Braves would be an upset. Dodgers would not
Yea that sounds like that’s probably it
I love that you’re willing to die on that Jankowski hill. I’m not being sarcastic either. Whether you’re joking or serious, you’re passion for Jankowski is awesome.
Or scary. One or the other.
OBP wins: I’ve done thousands of baseball simulations over the last 15 years. OBP wins
Chase Rate and BB% will win
Jankowski is elite in both
The MLB fields are not worthy of Jankowski’s other worldly chase rate, walk rate, and you forgot sprint speed.
Jankowski has a .281 OBP this year and .311 for his career. Gore hasn’t been up yet this year but has a career .325 OBP. They both aren’t good offensively but according to you Gore wins.
He’s also not elite in BB%. 10.4% for his career is above average but not great. Gore is also above average at 9.1%. 15% is an elite walk rate. Soto’s been over 20% the past 3 seasons. Even Fangraphs defines 12.5% as great and 15% as elite.
They’re also both above average in O-Swing+ if that’s what gets your gears going. But it’s a very weird stat to put much thought into. It’s hard to chase pitches out of the zone when pitchers are just attacking you with strikes because you’re a terrible hitter. That’s exactly what the case is with these guys. You’re giving a terrible offensive player some extremely undeserved credit.
Jankowski’s career OBP in MLB is .319. Since the end of 2018 he’s been replacement level.
Gore, on the other hand, has truly elite speed. It’s remarkable that he’s ever caught stealing. 30.2 sprint speed, faster than 99.6% of all of MLB,
On a 28-man roster if you’re going to carry Naquin AND platoon DHs who can stand in LF in a pinch, you don’t need Jankowski. You do need a runner like Gore, though.
I’ve gotten to the point where I think Camden is a parody poster but I actually agree on this one.
What? They’d both be exclusively late inning pinch runners, and Gore is a significantly better runner than Jank. So……
Ugh. Do you understand how little a pinch runner adds? Do you realize the tiny, minuscule bump Gore’s speed gives you over Jankowski’s on one play, for one extra base that may or may not even factor into the game? It’s statistically insignificant. How often will Gore take an extra base that Jankowski wouldn’t? Then, how often will that exact pinch running situation even come up? Then, how often will that particular play effect the game. It’s beyond insignificant.
I haven’t been around much. A lot of new Mets fans on this board this year.
Can we have a roll call for them to introduce themselves?
We really missed you
I’m still here. Ready to resume the Nimmo debate? Do you still think he wouldn’t be starting on most teams?
I was beginning to worry that Nimmo’s cold slump would hurt him in a contract year, but he picked it up in the last few weeks. Add that to his early hot start and you get a fine player. I also think he just fits so well with this Mets team. He’s the table setter for the big bats. I’m really curious to see where he goes (or stays) next season.
Sad thing for this kid for sure. With that being said, Mets fans have been ridiculous this season. That has no relationship to Baty’s injury, but Mets fans acting like they are unjustly vilified is just as distasteful as people cheering over this kids injury.
Huh?
Reading too difficult for you or something?
No. “Huh” is the appropriate response.
Or is writing too difficult for you or something?
So is this something that gets put in the books?
Can Deven Marrero be recalled and used on the post season roster in case of emergency?
Anyone on the 40 man roster is post season eligible. They don’t have to be on the MLB roster September 1st.
It’s never nice for any injury to be sustained. I hope he recovers soon.
How did Master Baty sustain this UCL tear in his thumb, as the article does not shed light on it.. Was it done swinging the bat?
The NL east a cake walk for us. But I’m worried about the playoffs Eppler didn’t do enough. Obviously we would still be favorites because of deGrom and Scherzer but we could get upset by the dodgers. Braves have no shot.
The best team in baseball (Dodgers) wouldn’t be an upset if they beat the Mets in the playoffs. The Mets won’t be favored in a Dodgers/Mets playoff series either. Yes the Braves have a “shot.” You’re still terrified of them, aren’t you. You should be.
We needed a better arm in the pen for sure
Had one, in Holderman. Dumping him for Vogelbach, a .209 hitter with a .403 SLG during the relevant time frame b/c he got lucky and a few balls dropped in Pittsburgh then effectively replacing Holderman with Givens?
And dealing 4 players for Darin Ruf? Eppler was very popular with the SF FO. I shudder to think of what Eppler will do if he’s left to run the Mets this offseason.
“Upset” by the best team in baseball. Amusing, anyway.