What the Mets starting lineup should look like with Mark Vientos

The New York Mets currently sit three games below .500 and 6.5 games behind the first-place Atlanta Braves. The season hasn't gone according to plan, but there's a new reason to be hopeful. Mark Vientos has been called up from Syracuse, adding an injection of youth and power that the Mets desperately need.

Mets fans have been clamoring for Vientos all season, and it's easy to see why. He's been destroying AAA pitching, bashing 13 home runs and putting up a titanic 1.104 OPS. His continued production has been impossible for the Mets' front office to ignore, especially as the big league club has struggled so badly to score runs.

As someone that contemplated chaining himself to Rob Manfred's office to protest the addition of the designated hitter to the National League, I'll be the first to admit that I don't mind it today. Vientos is not regarded as much of a defensive player, so the ability to plug him in at DH is a godsend.

The Mets haven't gotten much production from the DH spot, but Vientos could really change that.

Daniel Vogelbach has gotten the majority of DH at-bats, and at best, he's been fine. He's hit only two home runs and has mostly specialized in drawing walks. The Mets have struggled all season with men on base, so this hasn't translated into more runs. Vientos has earned 19 free passes himself this season, but he's also hitting .333 with 37 RBIs.

Tommy Pham has played some DH, but he's hitting below the Mendoza line. Vientos will likely take his spot as a right-handed DH at first, platooning with Vogelbach, at least to start. It's possible, given the way he's torn the cover off the ball, that Vientos could play himself into more of a full-time role. He could even play some outfield, especially with Mark Canha and Starling Marte struggling.

The Mets have mostly slotted the DH into the fifth spot of the lineup, but Vogelbach and Pham have not done a good job in protecting Pete Alonso. Ideally, that's around where Vientos ends up, but I believe that Mets manager Buck Showalter will ease him in at first, batting him seventh or eighth in the lineup while he gets accustomed to the majors. I would expect the Mets lineup to look something like this at first:

1. Nimmo (CF)
2. Lindor (SS)
3. McNeil (2B)
4. Alonso (1B)
5. Marte (RF)
6. Baty (3B)
7. Vientos (DH)
8. Canha (LF)
9. Alvarez (C)

As the season goes on, though, the young guys are going to assert themselves, leapfrogging the aging outfielders. Baty's swing looks really good, and though Alvarez is still figuring things out, I expect him to keep improving all season. Vientos' power will be invaluable in a lineup that sorely needs it, and Ronny Mauricio could also be called up soon.

If the Mets are going to fight their way back into contention, the hitting needs to improve (thanks Captain Obvious). The way to do it, though, is to keep the youth movement going. My perfect Mets lineup that I would like to see by the All-Star break is an enticing mix of established stars and up-and-coming phenoms.

1. Nimmo (CF)
2. Lindor (SS)
3. McNeil (LF)
4. Alonso (1B)
5. Baty (3B)
6. Vientos (DH)
7. Mauricio (2B)
8. Alvarez (C)
9. Marte (RF)

Tell me, Mets fans, doesn't this get you excited? Present and future all rolled into one, with a lot more pop. This lineup could kill against righties and lefties, and the bench would look great, with Vogelbach, Escobar, and Canha all available to pinch hit.

With 119 games to go, there's a lot of baseball left. Vientos getting the call is the latest sign that the Mets are serious about fixing what's gone wrong so far this season. If he hits even half as well as he did in AAA, this will be a great move. Don't give up hope yet, Mets fans.