Mark Vientos is close to a return to the big leagues. He has been on the injured list since July 10 due to a right-hand fracture after being hit by a pitch. In recent days, he has been performing very well on his rehab assignment. In five games with Triple-A Syracuse, he is hitting .500 with a 1.860 OPS and five home runs. Fantastic numbers. But the interesting question is: will he have a defined role once he returns to Queens?
The answer is likely no. Juan Soto made his return from a hamstring injury over the weekend. If he plays in every game down the stretch, most, if not all, will come as a DH. Jared Young is having an impressive second half at the plate, slashing .294/.341/.462 over 129 plate appearances. At this point, it’s difficult to take him out of the lineup. Unless the Mets are willing to put Young in the outfield every few games, Vientos is unlikely to receive consistent at-bats at DH or first base.
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“I don’t know. I was very forthright with him when he started the rehab assignment that a lot of that will be dictated by how others perform and also by how he performs. There’s a very bright future out there for him, if he wants to go grab hold of it. That’s on him,” interim manager Andy Green said about Vientos and his return to the Mets.
This feels like Vientos’ last chance to prove himself to the Mets. After a remarkable 2024 campaign, one that included a great postseason run, he has taken a major step back. Over the last two seasons, Vientos is hitting just .225 with a .681 OPS. Not to mention, he no longer plays third base and struggled at first base before getting hurt this season. If he were performing well offensively earlier in the year, there would be a case to use him regularly as a DH. But at the moment, it’s difficult to argue for that.
Vientos has been talked about as a non-tender candidate this offseason.
If he has a strong September, it’s possible the Mets could reconsider keeping him for 2027. Could the organization change its mind, in hopes that he can rediscover what he was offensively two seasons ago? It’s possible. But with others performing well and Vientos struggling to figure things out, a clear role may never open up for him again.
