Slump from NY Mets slugger is enough to reconsider his playing time

Batting slumps don’t check the team schedule, and Mark Vientos has picked a brutal time for another one. His bat has gone quiet again, leaving the New York Mets with a tough decision at the worst possible time. A sub-.700 OPS and streaky at-bats are tough enough in June, but in September they start to feel like sandbags tied to a team trying to sprint to the finish.

August teased something different, a stretch where Vientos looked like he was finally settling in and giving the Mets a much-needed boost. For a moment, it seemed like the tide had turned. But as the calendar flipped, so did his bat, back to the cold spells that have defined too much of his season. The Mets can’t afford nostalgia for last month’s progress when October is on the line.

The Mets can’t ignore Mark Vientos’ struggles as the postseason picture tightens

August felt like the breakthrough. Vientos hit .278 with a .988 OPS, launching eight homers and driving in 22 runs. Even more telling, his hard-hit percentage ranked second on the team, trailing only Juan Soto. For a moment, the Mets seemed to have rediscovered the 2024 version of Vientos, the one capable of changing games with one swing instead of disappearing in them.

September has been a cruel reminder. A .179 average, five RBI, and a strikeout rate north of 30 percent have erased the progress in a hurry. The power that once looked sustainable has fizzled, leaving the Mets with a middle-of-the-order bat that's producing more whiffs than fireworks.

Mendoza has to weigh production over patience. Baty’s bat has heated up while he’s held down third with steadier defense, and McNeil fits naturally back at second. That alignment frees the DH spot, and Vientos hasn’t earned it. The Mets don’t have many power options to plug in, but Starling Marte, who is hitting .263 this month and .262 dating back to mid-August, offers more consistent production than what Vientos is delivering right now.

With every game now magnified, there’s no room for waiting on a slump to break. Mendoza’s decisions in these final eight contests could define the Mets’ postseason fate. Riding the hottest hands, trusting the lineup that’s producing, and giving at-bats to those who can deliver isn’t just smart, it’s essential. In a race this tight, loyalty can’t outweigh results, and any edge the Mets can find might be the difference between packing for October or watching it from the couch.