Sitting more than 15 games out of first place in the NL East on the final day of May, the New York Mets demoted two promising players to the minor leagues on Friday. Right-handed pitcher Christian Scott and third baseman Brett Baty were optioned to Triple-A Syracuse, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Scott made his MLB debut with the Mets on May 4 and was a bright spot in their rotation, posting a 3.90 ERA and 25 strikeouts across five starts. Three of his outings were quality starts. He lasted five innings on Thursday, allowing two runs on four hits with four strikeouts and one walk against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Mets won, 3-2.

Scott is not expected to remain in the minors for long and could be back with the Mets shortly after they return from their trip to London next weekend. Drafted as a reliever, the Mets began to transition Scott into a full-time starter last season. The timing of this move suggests that New York wants to keep Scott's arm fresh while still throwing consistently as a starter.

The 24-year-old broke onto the top 100 prospects list this winter and is New York's third-ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline. The Mets selected Scott in the fifth round of the 2021 MLB Draft.

Baty's latest demotion is a tough pill to swallow

New York Mets third base Brett Baty (22) hits a single in the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field.
Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Once a top-25 overall prospect in baseball, Brett Baty's MLB career has not worked out to this point. Friday's demotion marks the second consecutive season the 2019 first-round pick was sent down by the Mets.

After struggling at the plate last season, the Mets sent Baty to the minors in August. He was back in the big leagues after a three-week stint but did not see much improvement, hitting .208 in 21 September games.

Baty secured the Mets' starting third baseman job before the season but found trouble hitting in the big leagues again in 2024. The 24-year-old is hitting .185 in May and has five hits in his last 15 games.

The Mets promoted infielder Mark Vientos on May 15 to challenge Baty at third base. Two weeks was enough sample size for New York to make the move permanent. Vientos has a .295 batting average and seven extra-base hits in 14 games with the Mets this year.

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Not yet 25 until November, Baty has time to figure out his swing and become a consistent MLB player. How many more chances will the Mets give him?

Mets' 2024 season continues to plummet

If there's any indication of how the Mets season has unfolded this year, look no further than the events that occurred on Wednesday.

The team placed closer Edwin Diaz on the injured list with a shoulder issue before a day game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Then starting first baseman Pete Alonso was hit by a pitch in the hand in his only plate appearance of the game, although he avoided injury and entered Thursday's game as a substitute.

Then in the eighth inning, Mets reliever Jorge Lopez was ejected for arguing with the third-base umpire. Lopez tossed his glove into the crowd and then used controversial language after the game which sounded directed toward his Mets teammates. New York designated him for assignment the next day, ending his tenure with the team.

After a 19-20 start, the Mets have won four of their last 17 games and own the fourth-worst record in the National League.

Maybe June will be a turning point for the Mets who are seeing their slim playoff chances diminish. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said earlier this week that New York has not played like a playoff team and hinted at changes to the roster if things don’t improve.

The demotions of Christian Scott and Brett Baty could be the beginning of some significant moves for the Mets. New York is promoting veteran infielder Jose Iglesias and right-handed pitcher Dedniel Nunez in corresponding moves. The team has not made these moves official.