Jun 5, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Mets third base Brett Baty (7) fields the ball during the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

Brett Baty takes the blame for Mets' frustrating loss to Dodgers

Originally posted on New York Mets on SI
By Logan VanDine | Last updated Jun 6, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The New York Mets saw their series finale against the Los Angeles Dodgers slip away from them on Thursday.

Looking to take three out of four from the defending World Series champions, New York blew an early 4-0 lead as they had to settle for a series split with the Dodgers, losing 6-5.

The biggest turning point of Thursday's game came in the bottom of the eighth inning when the Mets were trying to hold onto a 5-3 lead with their best reliever, Reed Garrett, on the mound for them. After walking Mookie Betts to start the inning, Garrett gave up an RBI double off Will Smith to cut the Mets' lead to 5-4.

Once Smith advanced to third base when Tesocar Hernández flied out, Los Angeles tied the game at five after Brett Baty double-clutched a ball off the bat of Andy Pages when he tried to throw out Smith at the plate. Baty's throw bounced in the dirt and Smith was safe at home plate.

The @Dodgers tie it in the 8th! pic.twitter.com/hZhlqxoeae
— MLB (@MLB) June 5, 2025

The Dodgers ultimately took their first lead of the ballgame when former Met Michael Conforto drove in the go-ahead run on an RBI single, which proved to be the game-winning hit. After the game, Baty took the blame for the Amazins' meltdown in the bottom half of the eighth inning.

"It's just a very, very dumb mistake," Baty said. "It can't happen in that situation, gotta give it up early and get him running back to third base, terrible play."

"It's just a very, very dumb mistake. It can't happen in that situation."

Brett Baty says he made a "terrible play" on his error in the 8th inning: pic.twitter.com/I1XDRhE6cF
— SNY (@SNYtv) June 5, 2025

Manager Carlos Mendoza also talked about Baty's costly mistake at third base and said of his third baseman's miscue, "Just didn't make a routine play there."

"Just didn't make a routine play there"

Carlos Mendoza talks about what went wrong on Brett Baty's throw home in the 8th inning, which allowed Will Smith to score as the tying run: pic.twitter.com/8qozsAtXV8
— SNY (@SNYtv) June 5, 2025

While Baty's bad throw home was certainly the turning point of this game, the Mets themselves also had multiple opportunities to put the game away early, perhaps. New York left a total of 13 runners on base, including squandering a bases-loaded threat in the top of the fourth inning.

The Mets will look to erase this ugly loss as they start a new three-game series against the lowly Colorado Rockies this weekend at Coors Field.

This article first appeared on New York Mets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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