WASHINGTON — Mark Vientos was recalled to the Mets on May 15 and from his first game started contributing offensively to a team that was in need of such a boost.
The early returns were positive, but could he maintain it?
It’s still too early to call the 24-year-old third baseman the real deal, but with each passing day Vientos is reinforcing the idea he belongs.
“It seems like every time we win he contributes,” Francisco Lindor said Wednesday at Nationals Park.
The winning has been plentiful lately, with the Mets in a stretch of 14 victories in 18 games as play began. On a broader scale the Mets had won 18 of 24, moved above .500 and were one game behind in the race for the NL’s last wild card.
Vientos took a .305/.361/.574 slash line with 10 homers and 27 RBIs into play — and then added a two-run shot off of Nationals starter Mitchell Parker in the top of the fourth to give the Mets a 3-0 lead.
Whether it’s been against right-handed or left-handed pitching, he has produced and his defense has been acceptable enough to keep him on the field every day.
For Vientos, who has bounced between Triple-A Syracuse and the Mets for the last two seasons, it’s been the perfect marriage of proving he can play in the major leagues and helping the team win.
“That is what it’s all about,” Vientos said. “My job here is to help the team as much as I can and that is to help win games. I am happy for the success we are having right now and I want to keep going. I am happy but not satisfied because we have still got a long season ahead of us.”
Scouts still question if Vientos can handle velocity high in the strike zone and whether he’s got the instincts to play third base, but he has already passed one big test in manager Carlos Mendoza’s estimation in that pitchers have already seen enough of Vientos to start adjusting against him and the player has responded.
“They are adjusting to him and whether it’s laying off some breaking balls, right-on-right or staying ready for the fastball, controlling the strike zone … the confidence is there,” Mendoza said.
Vientos has largely excelled at getting the barrel of the bat on the ball with a high swing velocity. An open mind has also helped.
“One of the best things he has got going for him, he asks a lot of questions,” Lindor said. “When it comes to approach, hitting stance, defense. What we have done on certain plays and how he handles himself on and off the field and stuff like that. He asks a lot of good questions.”
If Vientos’ bat wasn’t percolating it would be easier for the Mets to focus on his minus-2 outs above average that placed him only in MLB’s 27th percentile for third baseman, but to the naked eye his miscues haven’t been pronounced.
“He’s an offensive player and defense is something that he is going to have to battle with probably his whole career because he is more offense than defense,” Lindor said. “He is going to have to stay with it and work a lot.”
But Vientos, who projects more as a first baseman and DH, envisions himself remaining at third base and steadily improving.
“I have always wanted it,” Vientos said. “And when you want something and put the work toward it I am a big believer that you will eventually get it. I have always wanted to play this position and obviously that is where I am at right now. It could change whenever, but as of right now that is where my mindset is and I am happy with it and I want to stay here.”