March 25, 2023 12:53 PM : Baty has played well enough this spring at third base to give the Mets a tough decision to make between him and incumbent starter Eduardo Escobar, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Baty's thumped the ball all spring, batting .325 (13-for-40) with a homer and two steals, but the 23-year-old has struck out 14 times in 50 plate appearances, a sign he could potentially use more time at Triple-A. Escobar, on the other hand, hasn't been able to get going at the plate at all and is hitting just .133 (4-for-30) with one extra-base hit, a double. The veteran remains the likely Opening Day starter at the hot corner, but a slow start could prompt the Mets to make a quick switch and give Baty a chance to take the job, as there's little margin for error in what should be an ultra-competitive NL East.