Mets' Brett Baty feels 'good' a day after leaving game with hamstring issue
Brett Baty during the New York Mets against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field on April 15, 2024. Credit: Ed Murray
Brett Baty, who left Tuesday’s Mets game after six innings with a tight left hamstring, said he felt “good” on Wednesday morning but added he wasn’t sure when he would play again.
Zach Short started at third on Wednesday and went 0-for-3 in the Mets’ 9-1 win over the Pirates.
The Mets, who are off on Thursday, open a West Coast trip on Friday against the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
Asked if he thought he’d be ready by Friday, Baty said: “We’re just going day-by-day.”
Manager Carlos Mendoza said he was “very optimistic” that Baty would not need to go on the injured list. “Looks like we caught it early,” Mendoza said.
Yamamoto on tap
The Mets will get their first look at Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Friday when the Japanese righthander starts against them for the Dodgers in the opener of a three-game series at Dodger Stadium.
Yamamoto, whom the Mets pursued vigorously in the offseason before he signed a 12-year, $325-million contract with the Dodgers, last pitched on April 12.
Yamamoto is 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in four starts. That includes a one-inning, five-run outing in his first start, so he has been quite good since then, allowing three runs in 15 innings with 19 strikeouts.
Mendoza said he was looking forward to his club facing Yamamoto.
“We’ll be ready,” he said. “We’ll be watching a lot of film.”
Sean Manaea will pitch for the Mets.
Personnel matters
The Mets reclaimed righthander Michael Tonkin off waivers from Minnesota and designated lefthander Tyler Jay for assignment.
Tonkin, the 34-year-old former Long Island Duck, was 0-2 in three outings with the Mets before he was waived and claimed by Minnesota. He made one appearance for the Twins.
Jay, who turns 30 on Saturday, made his big-league debut for the Mets on April 11. He allowed one run in two appearances.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
