The Mets and Phillies face off this weekend in MLB’s London Collection, and each golf equipment will likely be afforded a twenty seventh man for the abroad occasion. For the Mets, that’ll be infielder Brett Baty, who was lately optioned to Triple-A Syracuse in a transfer designed to assist him get again on monitor but additionally to get hot-hitting Mark Vientos a respectable audition at third base.
Whereas Vientos is clearly outplaying his fellow corner-infield prospect for the time being, it appears the Mets are open to concepts that would preserve each within the lineup, even with a full-time designated hitter (J.D. Martinez) and with Pete Alonso entrenched at first base. Baty advised the Mets beat this morning that the staff has knowledgeable him he’ll doubtless start taking reps at second base quickly down in Syracuse (X hyperlink through Newsday’s Tim Healey). It hasn’t occurred in a sport setting but, however the Mets approached him in regards to the chance when he was optioned on Could 31.
The potential addition of second base to Baty’s ability set comes at a time when longtime second baseman Jeff McNeil is struggling via the worst outcomes of his profession. McNeil, the 2022 Nationwide League batting champion, is hitting simply .227/.296/.320 this season — about 16% worse than league-average, by measure of wRC+.
The 32-year-old McNeil is in simply the second season of a four-year, $50MM extension and thus isn’t in jeopardy of being reduce unfastened, however that is the second straight season his offensive output has declined in notable vogue. McNeil nonetheless has elite bat-to-ball abilities (11.2% strikeout charge, 87.6% contact charge), however he’s hitting extra fly-balls than ever earlier than, which is having an antagonistic impression on his outcomes. (Fly-balls — not less than these in play — are the simplest sort of batted ball to transform into an out.) There’s nonetheless certainly some poor fortune in play, as McNeil’s fly-ball charge is only some share factors larger than when he received his batting title, whereas his .246 BABIP checks in 70 factors shy of his profession mark. However clearly the Mets have some degree of concern, and clearly they’re additionally nonetheless taking a look at methods for each Baty and Vientos to issue into the long-term plan (notably if the membership finally ends up re-signing Pete Alonso and thus eradicating a Vientos-to-first base situation).
Baty has by no means performed second base in his skilled profession. He’s logged 250 innings in left discipline and in any other case spent each defensive inning since being drafted at third base. However with Vientos considered extra strictly as a nook infielder and in addition batting an impressive .333/.392/.621 via his first 74 plate appearances this 12 months, the Mets will check out the potential of Baty slotting in elsewhere on the diamond. Baty hit simply .225/.304/.325 in 169 turns on the plate previous to being optioned, so he has some apparent work to do on the offensive facet of issues as properly — however it’s nonetheless fascinating to see the Mets experimenting with the defensive alignment in a fashion that would accommodate two of the group’s longtime prime prospects who’ve beforehand had the identical main place.
Each Baty and Vientos have the potential to emerge as cornerstones in Queens, and in the event that they’re ready to take action they’ll doubtless slot in alongside catcher Francisco Alvarez in forming a younger core of hitters round which president of baseball ops David Stearns can construct. Alvarez has been out since mid-April, when he required surgical procedure to restore a torn ligament in his thumb. He’s been on a minor league rehab task and had been slated for a return early subsequent week. Nevertheless, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reviews that Alvarez’s return will likely be delayed by not less than a number of days. There’s no setback or new harm, however Alvarez has flown residence to Venezuela to are likely to a household matter.
At this level, there’s no indication Alvarez will likely be delayed lengthy. A return in latter half of subsequent week nonetheless appears possible. The 25-year-old has already appeared in 5 minor league video games however may get a number of extra beneath his belt earlier than being activated. He hit .236/.288/.364 in 16 video games earlier than incurring his harm however swatted 25 homers in 123 video games (423 plate appearances) final season. Alvarez has hit for a subpar .212 common in 496 massive league plate appearances however makes loads of laborious contact, attracts a roughly common variety of walks, has clear plus energy and has made substantial defensive enhancements prior to now couple years.
In additional Mets harm information, there’s some optimism with regard to Kodai Senga’s prolonged rehab course of. He’s slated to throw a bullpen session subsequent Monday or Tuesday, tweets Mike Puma of the New York Submit. Initially positioned on the IL because of a average capsule pressure his proper shoulder, Senga has encountered a number of setbacks alongside the way in which. He progressed to going through dwell hitters by late April however was scaled again to attempt to get his mechanics again so as. Whereas going via that step, Senga sustained a triceps harm that necessitated a cortisone injection and one other five-day shutdown interval.
That latter setback got here in late Could, however the silver lining was that his ailing shoulder appeared to be healed on that MRI. It appears each the shoulder and triceps at the moment are approaching a degree the place he’ll be cleared to throw. There’ll nonetheless be a number of steps to test off earlier than Senga is a sensible choice to return to the Mets’ rotation. He’ll doubtless want a number of bullpen classes, adopted by dwell classes towards hitters after which a minor league rehab task that figures to final a number of begins (with a full slate of relaxation between every, after all). It appears unlikely he’d be capable to test all these containers by the tip of this month, making a July return much more doubtless.
Senga, 31, is within the second season of a five-year, $75MM contract. The previous NPB standout made the All-Star staff final 12 months in his rookie season. He additionally completed second in NL Rookie of the Yr voting and seventh in NL Cy Younger voting after pitching 166 1/3 innings of two.98 ERA ball with a 29.1% strikeout charge, 11.1% stroll charge, 44.7% grounder charge and 0.92 HR/9.
