The Mets were looking to win their series against the Oakland Athletics on Thursday with third baseman Mark Vientos batting second in the order. It was the first time that Vientos had been placed in that spot in the lineup during his career, which he certainly earned with his strong body of work so far this season.
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Vientos commented about the advantage associated with batting earlier in the order after New York’s 7-6 loss.
“I get to have like five at-bats in a game, so you get more at-bats,” Vientos said. “There’s just something about second, I can’t really tell you.”
This decision from manager Carlos Mendoza paid off rather quickly, as Vientos launched a two-run home run to give the Mets a 3-0 lead in the third inning. This 406-foot long ball traveled 107.2 mph at a launch angle of 26 degrees.
Vientos has been very adept in generating barrels, as he is in the 96th percentile among qualified hitters with a 16.1 percent barrel rate. This means that he is not only posting strong exit velocities, but also hitting at an ideal launch angle, which is exactly what he did on that first homer.
His productive day did not end there. In the very next inning, Vientos cracked another home run, this time of the solo variety, to make the score 6-4 in favor of the Mets. His 19th long ball of the season traveled 371 feet to straight-away right field at a 101.1 mph exit velocity.
This homer came on a fastball, a pitch that Vientos has performed very well against this year. He is slugging .614 against fastballs compared to his .390 mark against breaking balls.
Despite the Mets’ defeat, Vientos ended the day 2-for-5 with his 18th and 19th home runs of the season. He is now batting .275/.333/.557 on the year with 48 RBIs and a 148 wRC+.
Teammate and hitting extraordinaire J.D. Martinez had high praise for Vientos after the game.
“He plays with energy,” Martinez said. “He’s got confidence in the box. That’s something that you want to see.”
While Vientos’ defense at the hot corner leaves a lot to be desired, his breakout season at the plate has been a revelation for the Mets. He has solidified himself as the starting third baseman for this club, eclipsing Brett Baty in that regard. He could slide to first base or into the designated hitter role in the future as well, and he’s certainly cemented a role as a key piece for New York moving forward.
