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It's a game of feet, not inches, for NY Mets slugger who has found his groove again

Foot placement is all it took for Mark Vientos to figure things out.
ByNoah Wright|
Aug 26, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets third baseman Mark Vientos (27) reacts after hitting a RBI single against the Philadelphia Phillies during the fifth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
Aug 26, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets third baseman Mark Vientos (27) reacts after hitting a RBI single against the Philadelphia Phillies during the fifth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images

The New York Mets were looking to rely on Mark Vientos to be a middle-of-the-order presence in 2025. Afterall, he hit .266/.322/.516 last year, with a .356 wOBA, and 132 wRC+. The corner infielder was a huge power threat, going yard 27 times in just 454 trips to the plate. His .249 isolated slugging percentage was the 11th best among all batters in 2024 with at least 450 plate appearances, and greater than the likes of Gunnar Henderson, Rafael Devers, Giancarlo Stanton, and Kyle Schwarber. Additionally, Vientos delivered some massive hits in the Postseason, with his +1.01 win percentage added ranking as the second-highest among all hitters in October.

But Vientos had mainly been a negative factor in the Mets’ lineup for a good portion of the season. Heading into August 16, Vientos was slashing a meager .227/.274/.359 with a .276 wOBA, and 77 wRC+. He had just seven home runs, with a .132 isolated slugging percentage. For reference, it took Vientos less than 130 plate appearances in 2024 to hit his seventh long ball. However, Vientos appears to be turning a corner, starting in mid-August.

It has only been 52 plate appearances, but Vientos owns a .370/.423/.913 triple-slash, leading to an astounding 258 wRC+. Vientos isn’t just hitting for power again, but at a Barry Bonds-esque rate. He has already doubled his home run total over this 52 PA sample size, going yard seven more times. His isolated slugging percentage over this time span is .543. However, it’s not purely a result of a small sample size fluke. Vientos has made some changes that more resemble his 2024 season, which could help him continue to be successful at the plate.

One small change in foot placement is all it's taking for Mark Vientos to find his groove again.

From the start of the 2025 season up through August 16, Vientos stood 29.2 inches off the plate. The distance between his feet was tracked at 27.8 inches. These measurements are almost identical to 2024 for Vientos. Last season, he stood 29.7 inches off the plate and put 27.9 inches of distance between his feet. 

But since starting this hot streak, Vientos stands 27.5 inches off the plate, and has closed the distance between his feet to 24.6 inches. That isn’t the only change he has made. From the start of 2025 to August 16, Vientos’ depth in the batter’s box came in at 26.3 inches. In both 2024 and now during his current stretch of seven home runs in a dozen games, Vientos is once again at 27.1 inches. Vientos also had a more closed-off stance when he was struggling earlier this season. According to Baseball Savant, his stance was only six degrees open. In 2024, he stood at nine degrees open, and now he is at eight degrees. 

On paper, Vientos moving feet a few inches here and there may not seem like a massive change. But in baseball, that’s a massive change. That can completely affect how Vientos times pitches up, loads up in his stance, and how well he is able to hit pitches on different parts of the strike zone. We’re still only looking at a 52 plate appearance sample size, but the results thus far can’t be denied. Vientos needs to continue to hit well, as he could suddenly become a massive cog, not just in the Mets’ pursuit to reclaim the NL East, but as they look to hold onto a playoff spot.

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