The New York Mets ended their latest losing streak with a shutout win over a division rival and now it seems they are hoping for a different kind of win over another one.
On Tuesday, the team surprised home fans by gaining some offensive momentum against the Washington Nationals.
“The fourth inning concluded Tuesday with a standing ovation from much of the small crowd at Citi Field, perhaps wondering if what it just witnessed was real,” Mike Puma wrote for the New York Post. “But this wasn’t a mirage. The Mets sent 10 batters to the plate in the inning and scored seven runs. Frustration turned to smiles. The Mets had it all together for a night.”
The team has fallen well short of expectations since Opening Day as new players struggle to adjust and returning ones struggle to stay healthy. Shortly after Juan Soto returned from a stint on the injured list, the team learned that franchise shortstop Francisco Lindor would miss extended time with his own ailment.
New York Mets Add Former Philadelphia Phillies Draft Pick Jamari Baylor
As the Mets wait for Lindor to recover, news surfaced that the team had acquired infielder Jamari Baylor, once a highly touted prospect in the Philadelphia Phillies’ system, from the independent Atlantic League.
“Southern Maryland Blue Crabs infielder Jamari Baylor had his contract purchased by the New York Mets in a deal that was announced today,” per a news release from the team on Tuesday. “Prior to joining the Blue Crabs, he played four seasons in the Philadelphia Phillies and Colorado Rockies organizations, reaching the High-A level and earning a spot inside the Phillies top prospect list. After starting the 2024 season in the Atlantic League with the York Revolution, he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays and finished the year with High-A Vancouver.”
New York Mets’ New Infielder Batted .303 With 21 Homers In Atlantic League Last Season
Baylor was a third-round pick by the Phillies in the 2019 draft, joining the organization out of high school and working his way through rookie ball to High-A. He was ranked as a top-25 prospect for the Phillies for several years before joining the Rockies organization.
As his career brought him to the Atlantic League last year, Baylor slashed .303/.421/.552 with a team-high 77 RBI and 21 homers last season. And through the first six games of this season, he batted .353 with a league-leading 10 walks.
His former manager underscored the strength of his last season following the news that he had joined the Mets.
“I was really impressed by his patience at the plate. He's very disciplined for a power guy and he's able to use all fields,” Blue Crabs skipper Brett Jodie said, according to the release. “I really didn't see a weakness or anything he couldn't handle. It's a much deserved opportunity for Jamari, and we're very pumped for him. We'll be following him and hoping he can move up the ladder in the Mets organization.”
This article was originally published on Forbes.com
