Carlos Mendoza Had Words for Brett Baty After Yankees' Loss to Mets

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Josh Valdez | Last updated May 17, 2025 7:52 PM ET

New York Mets infielder Brett Baty has had a whirlwind of a season so far. The 25-year-old went on a five-game hit streak in April before being sent down to the minors when Jeff McNeil returned from his oblique injury.

The Mets (29-17) called Baty back up on May 5, and he's slashing .292/.292/.792 with four homers and seven RBI since then. The 6-foot-3-inch, 210-pounder went 1-for-4 with a strikeout in their 3-2 win over the New York Yankees on Saturday after going 0-for-1 with a strikeout in their 6-2 loss on Friday.

Manager Carlos Mendoza sounded off about Baty's defensive versatility on Saturday, via SNY.

"We've seen the athleticism, his ability to play up the middle. Today, that was a hell of a game defensively," he said. "He made two or three slow roller plays that he made look routine, [but they] weren't as easy as he made them look. The jumps, whether it's coming in, going side to side, or going back on baseballs when he needs to."

"The fact that he's getting reps in the middle of the infield, it allows him to be better with his footwork, his read off the bat, his first step, his quickness," he continued. "It's good to see Baty contribute in a lot of different ways."

"It's good to see Baty contribute in a lot of different ways"

Carlos Mendoza talks about Brett Baty's defensive contributions today: pic.twitter.com/dbKc1GZzED
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 17, 2025

Baty has appeared at third and second base as well as left field. The utility man's natural position is third, where he played on Saturday, but he filled in at second when McNeil was out.

The Mets and Yankees will play their rubber match on Sunday.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: