Brett Baty ends HR drought with 440-foot blast in Mets' win
Brett Baty of the Mets celebrates with teammates after hitting a home run against the Marlins during the eighth inning at loanDepot park on Wednesday in Miami, Fla. Credit: Getty Images/Megan Briggs
MIAMI — Brett Baty needed this one.
In his return to the lineup Wednesday, amid a poor rookie season that had gotten worse since his return to the majors this month, Baty demolished a 440-foot home run off Marlins reliever Johnny Cueto, a highlight in the Mets’ 8-3 win.
His shot came in the top of the eighth, with the Mets already ahead by four runs thanks in part to Mark Vientos’ pair of homers. When Cueto offered a fastball inside, Baty crushed it into the upper deck in rightfield. Rightfielder Jesus Sanchez barely took a step before ceasing his pursuit.
“That one did feel really good,” said Baty, who is hitting .212 with a .605 OPS.
That was Baty’s eighth long ball of the season and first since July 19. For three-and-a-half weeks in between, he was with Triple-A Syracuse, the Mets feeling he needed a reset in the minors after prolonged struggles.
Baty missed the previous six games because of a strained left groin.
“It’s been tough on him, sitting over there watching his friends and teammates play,” manager Buck Showalter said. “I was telling [bench coach Eric Chavez] before the game, I’d really like to see Baty finish up real strong. I hope that’s the start of that.”
In his second-to-last start of the season, Kodai Senga (12-7) allowed two runs and seven hits in six innings. His ERA is 2.96.
Miami went 2-for-3 against Senga in the fifth inning, but rightfielder Jeff McNeil bailed him out by recording two assists, including throwing out Jorge Soler at the plate for an inning-ending double play.
Notes & quotes: Starling Marte (right groin strain) is scheduled to play in rehab games with Syracuse on Saturday and Sunday . . . The Mets named shortstop/centerfielder Jett Williams their minor-league player of the year and righthander Christian Scott their minor-league pitcher of the year . . . DJ Stewart was a late scratch from the lineup because of a sore left wrist. He got hit by an errant throw during batting practice.
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
