The outcome looked bleak for the Mets on Friday against the pennant-chasing Phillies.

They were trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth and had three rookies facing 2023 All-Star Craig Kimbrel. If the Mets lost they would be eliminated from the postseason.

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The game was headed that way after Ronny Mauricio flied out to lead off the inning. With one out, and Kimbrel looking sharp, Brett Baty came up to the plate.

Before stepping into the box, Baty had struggled since being recalled to the majors in September. He had slashed .191/.227/.262/.489 in 13 games, and only eight hits in 42 at-bats, one of which was a homer.

Those troublesome numbers, along with the mental wear that Baty himself spoke about before being demoted in August, had led to a lot of questions about his status for 2024. Would he have the starting third base job next year? Should Mauricio be slotted at third?

However, in one at-bat against Kimbrel, one of the greatest closers the game has ever seen, Baty quieted those narratives with one swing.

Trailing by a run in the ninth, Baty got a fastball right down the middle from Kimbrel and didn’t miss it. He homered to the deepest part of Citizens Bank Park, hitting the ball 432 feet with an exit velocity of 110.2 mph.

The only thing more emphatic than the homer was Baty as he ran around the bases. The young third baseman pointed to his dugout, and let out a huge “let’s go!” scream as he passed second base.

The homer tied the game for the Mets and gave them life. New York had the opportunity to win the game and loaded the bases in the 10th, but Pete Alonso struck out to retire the side. Alec Bohm then followed with a walk-off single to beat the Mets 5-4.

Despite losing, and being eliminated from the postseason, Baty’s home run left a positive motif on the game. The 23-year-old had been a focal point for the Mets’ future success, and if he can join Mauricio and Mark Vientos in their recent success, the Mets’ nucleus for the future looks a whole lot brighter.

It also solves a problem the Mets have had since 2015: third base. Since David Wright‘s injury, the Mets have seen a revolving door of players at third and haven’t had stability at the position. For my own fun, some of those names include Danny Muno, Jed Lowrie, Yolmer Sánchez, Eric Campbell (souup!), and Phillip Evans.

And while Baty hasn’t been a great third baseman this season, neither have Mauricio and Vientos. Baty is the clear option at the position if he can find success at the plate, and showed what he can do by making a clean play on Trea Turner‘s ground-out to send the game into extra innings.

Hopefully, the homer on Friday creates some momentum that Baty can carry into the offseason. It hasn’t been a positive 2023, but Baty has found some confidence in his recent success, going 3-for-12 with two home runs in his last 3 games.

“It definitely gives me a little bit of confidence,” Baty said after the game. “Hitting the ball hard gives me confidence.”