NY Mets send clear message and it immediately pays dividends

Managing a baseball team is a lot like playing chess, every decision shapes the next, and sometimes you have to sacrifice a pawn to set up a bigger move later on. Carlos Mendoza seems to be mastering that concept. By sitting Mark Vientos for a second straight game and rolling with Jeff McNeil and Brett Baty, the New York Mets manager sent a clear message: matchups and momentum drive the decisions. It’s not about playing favorites, it’s about playing the board. And on this Friday night in Queens, that choice delivered results, helping the New York Mets keep their winning rhythm intact.

The NY Mets continue to find success by making bold, matchup-driven decisions that keep the lineup dynamic and competitive.

Brett Baty and Jeff McNeil didn’t just justify Mendoza’s move, they helped push it into checkmate. Leading off the second inning, Baty battled to a 3-2 count before launching a fastball into the left-centerfield seats to give the New York Mets a 2-0 lead. A few batters later, McNeil jumped on the first pitch he saw and sent it out to right, extending the lead to 3-0. Both players contributed with timely homers, but Baty also added a single to his night, finishing 2-for-4. McNeil went 1-for-3 before being pinch-hit for by Vientos, who would later get a chance to make his impact.

Vientos has been improving recently, hitting .298 with a .827 OPS, two homers, and eight RBIs over his last 47 at-bats. But his struggles with runners in scoring position have raised a few eyebrows, hitting just .132 with a 34% strikeout rate in those situations (38 at-bats). For a team that needs to thrive on those clutch moments, numbers make a difference, and it’s clear Mendoza is weighing more than just overall stats when making his decisions.

Mendoza addressed the move in a pre-game interview, emphasizing that it’s about finding the right matchups. Rather than lock into a set lineup, he’s letting performance and opportunity shape the decisions—fostering a competitive edge that keeps players sharp. It’s not about sending a message, it’s about fielding the group best equipped to handle the night’s opponent. In the chess match of managing a roster, sometimes the smartest move isn’t keeping every piece in play but putting the right ones in position to strike.