Mets starting lineup change to put the weight on Mark Vientos continues to work

If you were told a few months ago that Mark Vientos would be batting second and then third in the New York Mets lineup, you’d be asking where they traded away all of their players. The assumption would be the team was in evaluation mode like they were in September of 2023. My, things have changed.

Vientos blasted a pair of home runs on Friday, including the walk-off dinger.

Now surging with a .471/.471/1.000 batting line, 3 home runs, and 5 RBI in only 17 plate appearances in September, Vientos has erased all questions of what he can or cannot accomplish this year. Winning ball clubs will have unlikely heroes. Vientos is now in the stage of being one of the guys the Mets need to rely on. The lineup decision to put the burden on him should earn him some MVP votes.

Mark Vientos has been beastly for the Mets hitting atop the order

Vientos is now 13 for 29 when batting third in the lineup. Good enough for a .448/.469/.759 slash line in the limited opportunities, he has allowed them to have a more traditional look with Brandon Nimmo in the number two spot. Vientos spent some time batting there, delivering a .291/.328/.564 slash line in those 58 plate appearances.

Injecting Vientos right into the thick of the action has awoken something in him further. Even when batting fifth, the .286/.351/.512 slash line bests what he did when batting sixth (.250/.315/.520) and seventh (.259/.307/.586). Because of how well Francisco Lindor has played this season, we’ve evaluated each and every way a player can earn MVP consideration. A few things are certain. The what’s, when’s, and how’s matter a lot. Hitting this well in the final weeks of the season in a spot in the starting lineup we would’ve guessed a more experienced hitter would occupy is important.

Vientos have been the picture of consistency this season. His lows for any given month came in August when he slashed .263/.324/.484. The .808 OPS in August would rank 29th among qualified players in MLB this season.

It’s a shame there is no real award Vientos can actually win. Biggest breakout star? Sophomore of the Year (SoY)? He can become a spokesperson for soy products with the latter.

His .905 OPS on the year is 11th in MLB among qualified players. His 24 home runs has him tied for 30th. The absence of a full month and a half where he spent time in Triple-A to begin the year is what makes this impressive. One can only imagine the kinds of numbers he’ll have in a full season if this keeps up. First, September. Then, deal with October.