No stranger to the trade rumor mill, Mets’ third baseman Mark Vientos is making his voice known. “It is what it is. What can I do?”
With the Trade Deadline less than 72 hours away, the Mets are surely looking to make upgrades in certain positions. They’ve already traded for LHP Gregory Soto, but look to upgrade the bullpen still and maybe more. A punch-up to the rotation would be nice, as well as a possible upgrade in center field.
The Mets are in the thick of the postseason race, and unfortunately, Vientos is in the middle of trade rumor season. The 25-year-old’s name has surfaced in previous seasons and now again in 2025. Vientos is in the midst of a slump compared to 2024. In that breakout year, he posted a career-high 27-homer season and hit .266/.322/.516 and an OPS of .837.
However, in 73 games this season, the power-hitter is putting up a grim .226/.280/.358 (.638) line entering Monday’scontest in San Diego. His trade value is still at an all-time high, even as Vientos is a part-time player for the Mets in 2025.
“I feel like I’m on a team right now that the guys on the bench could probably start on most of the teams in the big leagues. I’m one of those guys on the bench, unfortunately.”
Per MLB’s Anthony DiComo, Vientos noted it as “extremely difficult” to improve in a part-time role, even if he feels like his swing has improved. He isn’t wrong; over the past 12 games, he’s hit .302/.318/.442 and looked more like his 2024 self.
Vientos’ lack of production, plus the emergence of a red-hot Brett Baty and Ronny Mauricio, has cut into his playing time. His shotty defense at times isn’t helping. Vientos has a negative seven fielding value, in the second percentile. Baty owns a plus one fielding value, while Mauricio (who doesn’t yet qualify) owns a plus two value.
While the process is a bit of a nuisance, Vientos is still taking the trade rumors in good stride. He noted:
“It’s a good thing that I’m being talked about. You can see it as like, ‘Damn, it’s bad.’ But I see it as, ‘Man, I’m that important in the league that I’m being talked about in trade rumors.”
Vientos, more than anyone, understands it’s a business, but still notes he doesn’t want to be traded. When asked if he’sexpressed his frustrations to Mets’ management, he commented, “No, because there’s really no point. Nobody cares. Nobody really cares, to be honest, how I feel. But it’s the business.”
According to Tim Britton and Will Sammon of The Athletic, Vientos attributed his early-season struggles to trying too hard to one-up his 2024 campaign.
Vientos knows he’s on the trade block, along with fellow Mets Luisangel Acuña and even Baty and Mauricio.
