A fresh NY Mets lineup is taking shape and it doesn't include Mark Vientos

The New York Mets currently sit at 52-39, good for second place behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East. It's been an up-and-down season that started hot, cooled off significantly, and in recent days has begun to even out. At times, the pitching has carried the ice-cold hitting, while at times, the offense has picked up the slack for lackluster pitching.

As the Mets await the return of Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea, the pitching is currently the group just barely treading water, while the offense has started to explode. With that recent explosion, some key lineup questions are being answered.

The Mets have seven of their nine everyday lineup spots spoken for. There are three Mets now fighting for those final two spots, all of whom have been considered some of the top internal prospects for several years now. But unfortunately for Vientos, the other two prospects have made the right decision painfully obvious.

The Mets can no longer afford to give him any more chances

It wasn't a one-way road for Mark Vientos heading into 2025. While limited to third base on the diamond, he could have easily slotted into the DH spot at any time if the production warranted it. But Starling Marte has become a must-start each night at DH, which has left Vientos with only third base as an option.

His issue was always going to be that his fielding is league-average on his best days. So his bat was going to be his ticket to night-in and night-out action. If the offensive numbers aren't there, there's no real value in Vientos. Given his miraculous post-season run that almost launched the Mets into their first World Series since 2015 last season, fans were optimistic that Vientos would become a suitable fifth option to Soto, Lindor, Alonso, and Nimmo in 2025. Instead, he has been more liability than asset.

It's not that Vientos has turned into a .170 hitter who it's time to give up on. On some teams, he would still be worth trotting out to promote continued development. On the 2025 Mets, however, he is stuck in a win-now situation that limits any flexibility or patience.

His batting average is currently .212, with a brutal .275 OBP and .619 OPS. He has yet to hit his seventh home run or his 22nd RBI in 248 plate appearances. His -0.7 WAR is also definitely not what you want to see on a stat sheet. It has been ugly. And while Vientos is still developing, the Mets are not. They are developed and ready to win now. They cannot give young guys chances just for the sake of giving them chances. Not anymore.

Brett Baty hasn't been Mike Schmidt at third base, but he's a very solid fielder who has given you nine homers with 29 RBI's in 225 plate appearances, a definitive step up from Vientos. And Ronny Mauricio isn't Roberto Alomar at second base, but he provides invaluable position flexibility, and his .248 batting average in 100 plate appearances is not something the Mets can go without right now.

Heading into a three-game road series in Baltimore, it will be fascinating to see what the Mets do with their lineup. In the past three series against Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, and the Yankees, Mauricio and Baty have been piling on hit after hit, while Vientos has only recorded 2 base-hits during that period.

The Mets have lost their division lead and have lost their ability to experiment along with it. Now that they're in a dog fight, they must go with the best lineup every single night. And it has never been more clear that Mark Vientos is not a part of that lineup.