New York Mets rookie third baseman Brett Baty will undergo surgery on Thursday because of a torn ligament in his thumb, according to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo. Baty's timeline will see him miss about five weeks, suggesting he's unlikely to play again in the regular season. He could be available for the postseason, depending on how his recovery proceeds and what the Mets decide to do with their roster.
With Baty going on the injured list, the Mets purchased veteran outfielder Terrance Gore's contract from Triple-A Syracuse. Gore, the league's most famous designated pinch-runner, will be eligible to partake in the postseason by virtue of joining the Mets' roster ahead of the Sept. 1 deadline.
Baty, 22 years old, appeared in 11 games with the big-league squad this summer. He batted .184/.244/.342 (66 OPS+) with two home runs and five runs batted in across 42 plate appearances. He was ranked by CBS Sports as the No. 14 prospect in the minors heading into the spring. Here's what we wrote at the time:
Some evaluators in the industry expressed skepticism when the Mets drafted Baty 12th overall in 2019. Their criticism had less to do with him as a player and more to do with his age, as he was hurtling toward his 20th birthday despite being a high-schooler. Baty did well to quiet concerns in his first full pro season, batting .292/.382/.473 with 12 home runs and 22 doubles across High- and Double-A. Baty's boosters see a strong-bodied third baseman who could be a plus hitter. There are some areas of concern to keep in mind with him, however, as his strikeout (25.6 percent) and groundball (61.2 percent) rates at Double-A suggest he wasn't maximizing skill set, especially considering his well-above-average raw juice.
Eduardo Escobar, who had been splitting starts with Baty in recent days, will presumably serve as the Mets' primary third baseman the rest of the way.
Gore, 31, has not taken a big-league at-bat since the 2019 season. Nevertheless, he's been part of the last two World Series champions, and he even appeared in a game for the Atlanta Braves as part of their National League Division Series victory against the Milwaukee Brewers last fall. He's a highly proficient basestealer who has swiped five bags on six tries for his postseason career.
