By Loveth 
The Mets had a classic “good problem to have” Thursday night — Jeff McNeil is back from the injured list, but someone had to go. Unfortunately for rising infielder Brett Baty, that someone was him.
Despite Baty heating up at the plate, the Mets sent him down to Triple-A Syracuse, not because of poor play, but because of roster logistics. McNeil needed a spot, and Baty still had options. That’s baseball math — and sometimes, it stings.
Statistically, Baty’s overall season wasn’t stellar (.204 average and a below-average wRC+), but the story was changing fast. Over his last nine games, he looked like a different player, hitting nearly .300 with power and patience. He was finally catching fire — right before getting the call… back to the minors.
To make the move sting more, Baty was learning to play second base on the fly, adding value and versatility. The Mets noticed — but the numbers game left them little choice.
With catcher Francisco Alvarez also returning, Hayden Senger was optioned as well. So, just like that, two were down, two were up.
Still, this isn’t a setback for Baty — it’s a pit stop. He’s proven he’s adjusting and improving. He’s not out of the picture — just offstage for now, waiting for his next big moment.