Mets can’t overcome Brett Baty’s early blunder in loss to Brewers

MILWAUKEE — Versatility among players is ideal until it undermines preventing runs.

Brett Baty, who has started games at four positions this season, was placed in right field Wednesday — giving the Mets another left-handed bat in the lineup with Juan Soto resting — but at the same time leaving the team vulnerable to what occurred in the second inning.

Baty got fooled on Joey Ortiz’s fly ball that should have been the third out.

The ball landed for a two-run triple — another run scored later in the inning — and the Mets were left attempting to play catch-up for the remainder in a 4-3 loss to the Brewers at American Family Field.

“Three runs are on me right there and that is the difference in the game,” Baty said. “I felt like I got a good read on it and then got back on the track and it just tailed on me a little bit more. But the play has got to be made.”

He was asked if playing so many different positions presents a challenge.

“This is my first time bouncing around like this,” Baty said. “I bounced around the infield last year, but I just pride myself on being able to make all the plays in the field, so I am very disappointed in myself there.”

Baty contributed offensively with a solo homer, but it wasn’t enough on a day the Mets went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position in losing the series rubber game to complete a 3-3 road trip.

Most of Baty’s action this season has been at third and second base with an occasional turn at first. He began playing right field this season and has started seven games at the position.

Interim manager Andy Green was asked about balancing working a bat into the lineup against the potential defensive repercussions. Tyrone Taylor, a right-handed bat, is the superior defensive player.

“You’re always trying to balance those two things,” Green said. “You have the capacity to unwind it pretty quickly if you get some offense early in the game and we were hoping to do that. It didn’t work out the way we wanted to today. [Baty] has played more than respectable right field throughout the course of the year.”

Christian Scott, in his shortest start since his initial appearance of the season, lasted only 3 ²/₃ innings and allowed three earned runs on four hits and three walks with six strikeouts.

Length remains an issue with Scott, who has failed to complete five innings in four of his past six starts. He was coming off two straight scoreless outings.

“They had a lot of foul balls and fought me pretty well,” said Scott, who was removed at 89 pitches.

Marcus Semien’s two-out homer in the second gave the Mets their initial run. It was a rare Semien sighting: the veteran second baseman began the day with a .594 OPS and was only 1-for-13 since his removal from the injured list. Semien missed three weeks with a left hip flexor strain.

Baty’s misplay in right field helped the Brewers take a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the inning. Scott walked Garrett Mitchell and surrendered a single to Andrew Vaughn, but Ortiz’s fly to right should have been the third out. Instead, the ball landed behind Baty and two runs scored. Christian Yelich’s ensuing single gave the Brewers their third run.

Baty homered in the fifth to pull the Mets to within 3-2. It was the third homer in eight games for Baty, who began the day with a respectable .729 OPS in July.

Yelich launched an RBI triple in the sixth against A.J. Minter that widened the Brewers lead to 4-2. Huascar Brazobán allowed a double to Ortiz that started the rally.

Francisco Alvarez’s RBI single in the ninth made it 4-3.

“You get the opportunity with versatile pieces to get your best lineup out there,” Green said. “Preventing runs is important. Trying to balance that out is something every manager and staff does every single day.”