ATLANTA — Brett Baty only needed his first swing to announce his arrival in the major leagues on Wednesday night.
The result of that swing was a ball that went home for a home run over the right fence at Truist Park, raising hope that the Mets have a rookie who can contribute to this pennant race and beyond.
As far as debuts go, Baty crushed it. He became only the fifth player in franchise history to homer in his first major league at-bat, helping the Mets to a much-needed 9-7 win over the Braves.
Brett Baty is mobbed by Mets teammates after hitting a homer in his first big league at-bat in the Amazin’s 9-7 win over the Braves. Getty Images
Baty wasn’t the only one showing his strength that night: Starling Marte netted twice and Francisco Lindor hit another to lead the Mets’ 14-hit offensive. After producing a run that lost the first two games of that series, the Mets ripped their slingshot and moved 4 ½ games ahead of the Braves in NL East.
The 22-year-old Baty, No. 2 in the organization behind catcher Francisco Alvarez, was selected pre-game by Triple-A Syracuse after Eduardo Escobar was put on the injured list with a left oblique stretch.
Eighth, Baty hit the plate for the first time in the second inning and took a pitch for a ball against Jake Odorizzi before jumping on a curveball for a homer. He joined Benny Ayala, Mike Fitzgerald, Kaz Matsui and Mike Jacobs as the only Mets to at-bat homer in his first major league.
“Just pure joy,” Baty said when asked about his emotions circling the bases. “Just to be able to help this ball club with my first shot and look up and see my family up there and celebrate it with them. Definitely pure joy.”
Max Scherzer was in the tunnel after pitching the first inning and from the sounds he heard he knew Baty had done something special.
“It gives him a lot of confidence to keep playing and he probably thinks he belongs here,” said Scherzer. “That’s the good thing. That’s what we need from this team. Escobar gets hurt, we call the next guy and he goes out and produces. We’ve been doing that all season and it’s great to see Baty get a chance and go out and do it.
Baty was still in full uniform an hour after the game ended, speaking to his “support team” of 20 to 25 family members, friends and former coaches who had come to see his debut. Baty, standing by his locker with a soaked uniform, was asked if his teammates had pushed him in the shower.
Max Scherzer allowed four runs, but still got his ninth win of the season.AP
“I don’t know about that,” he said, smiling.
In the sixth inning, Baty hit a 113-mph shot against left-hander Tyler Matzek, but it was a fielder’s choice groundout at stake. He ended the night 1-for-4.
“I told myself when I went on defense I would just look around and soak it all up, and I did,” Baty said. “I thought maybe I was going to score in the first inning but it didn’t reach me so I went out on the field and looked around and it was amazing.”
After a 34-minute rain delay, Scherzer returned in the third inning. He lasted 6 ¹/₃ innings and allowed four earned runs on three hits with eight strikeouts and three walks for the No. 199 win of his career. The right-hander retired for 13 straight batters before leading Eddie Rosario on foot in the seventh to start the rally that put the Braves on a run 6-5.
Marte and Lindor hit back-to-back homers in the first inning that gave the Mets a 2-0 lead. Lindor’s homer was his 21st of the season. Mark Canha doubled to start the second inning before Baty blew up the Mets’ third homer of the game.
Starling Marte salutes after hitting the first of his two home runs in the Mets win.AP
After Jeff McNeil’s leadoff single in the sixth, Canha delivered an RBI double that gave the Mets a 5-1 lead. Odorizzi was removed after allowing five earned runs on eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts spanning more than five innings.
Marte’s second homer of the night, a solo blaster in the seventh against Tyler Matzek, put the Braves in a 6-1 hole.
Adam Ottavino handed Robbie Grossman a three-run homer in the seventh heat that wiped out most of the Mets’ 6-1 lead. Edwin Diaz and Trevor May tied for the last six outs, although May gave up two runs on the ninth run.
The Mets received insurance runs in the ninth on Pete Alonso’s two-run singles and Daniel Vogelbach’s RBI doubles. Nimmo and Lindor each singled out in the innings.