Now isn’t the time for the Mets to demote Brett Baty after his embarrassing error

The New York Mets have been running in circles chasing their own tails. One play on Saturday night took it a little too literally.

While this didn’t cost the Mets the game, it piled onto the loss and seemed to remove any chance they had of making a comeback. A one-run game suddenly got way too out of control. It’s the latest of the miscues by Mets rookie Brett Baty.

Baty hasn’t had the kind of year many were hoping for. Francisco Alvarez has hit for a ton of power, shown tremendous growth defensively, and given the team plenty of clutch moments. Baty is fading into the background and his struggles have only gone unnoticed because of the misery provided from the veterans. As bad as it has been, now is not the time to demote him.

The Mets should only demote Brett Baty if it saves the season and this wouldn't do it

A demotion would be a punishment at this point for Baty. You don’t punish a young kid for making a mistake like this. He’s already being punished enough. That highlight is going to live on forever. The only thing worse would’ve been if a teammate stepped on him after the ball smacked him in the face then a family of birds proceeded to build a nest on his back.

The third base job was unofficially won by Baty the moment the Mets traded Eduardo Escobar. Since then, Baty has failed to improve at all. He doesn’t look like a major leaguer and to suggest he should be sent down isn’t outrageous.

The trade deadline is approaching quickly and we should expect more roster spots to open up. Baty, who could certainly use a day or two in a row off, definitely doesn’t need to spend any time in Syracuse just yet. In fact, the Mets should completely forego benching him whatsoever. Show him a little faith and if he continues to struggle during the next series, reconsider the possibility of a demotion.

Nobody is above being replaced. In this instance, no rookie has too much promise to stay on the MLB roster when he’s looking this “off.”

The third base alternative options for the Mets would include a whole lot of Luis Guillorme or promoting Mark Vientos and seeing what he can do at the position. The ball club has been hesitant to give him regular innings defensively at any position. A Baty demotion and Vientos promotion to play third base is the ultimate Mets move to signal a Hail Mary or forfeit the season. It really depends on how things work out.

Baty has seemed overmatched at the plate and sometimes awkward in the field. He hasn’t been an atrocious defensive player. He’s just a work in progress.

An extreme move of demoting him might be the worst thing the Mets can do immediately after Saturday’s mistake. Instead, see how he responds. It’s the game after when we get a better idea of what kind of moxie a player is made of.