After hitting three home runs in a single game for Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday, the Mets decided Mark Vientos was ready to return from his rehab assignment for their series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday.
Not only that, but interim manager Andy Green decided to ride the hot hand and slotted the slugger right into the lineup, batting cleanup as the designated hitter in his first game back. Good thing he did, too, because Vientos stayed hot and rewarded his manager with a solo home run that was the difference in New York’s 3-2 win.
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“It felt great,” Vientos said about not only the home run, but being back with the team after a long time away. “Felt great to come back and contribute in some way and a home run is always cool so it felt great for sure.”
The home run, a 418-foot blast to center field, was Vientos’ 12th of the season and even though he’s had a disappointing season this year, Vientos reminded everybody of the raw power he possesses.
In fact, despite playing in just 74 games, Vientos is seventh on the team in home runs and just two away from being tied for third. If he keeps up his pace over the last few days, he’ll be near the leaderboard in no time.
“He has such a powerful swing, he stays in the middle of the ballpark and he turns himself loose,” Green said. “He can drive the ball out anywhere, he’s proven that… There’s only a few guys who can do that consistently and he can.”
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It’s true, while Vientos is hitting just .212 with a .654 OPS, he does have power to all fields and is a dangerous hitter as evidenced by his breakout 2024 season in which he slashed .266/.322/.516 with 27 home runs in 111 games while adding five home runs in 13 postseason games that year and hitting an incredible .327 with a .998 OPS.
The key for Vientos is getting back to that hitter — a chance he will likely get more of now following his big home run in his return. Even before re-joining the Mets, Green publicly challenged Vientos by saying he wasn’t sure what his role would be once he returns, but that if he hits his role would increase.
Since those comments, Vientos has been on a power surge between the minor leagues and now the majors.
“Just trusting my ability, just trusting myself and seeing pitches trusting that I’ll recognize — if it’s a spin or it’s a fastball — and allowing myself to adjust to pitches and just putting bat to ball,” Vientos said of what he’s thinking at the plate.
“Happy to have him back,” Green said.
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