Mark Vientos was out of the Mets lineup for the second straight game. However, it’s not an injury to the third baseman — the Mets simply have a lot of versatile pieces they can use to create optimal matchups against opposing pitchers.
Against Chicago Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon on Friday, the Mets used left-handed hitter Brett Baty at third base instead of Vientos and hit him sixth, followed by second baseman Luisangel Acuña hitting seventh, Jeff McNeil at the DH spot hitting eighth, and Tyrone Taylor hitting ninth.
The plan was initially to use McNeil in center field, but after he slid awkwardly on his hip in Arizona on Wednesday, the Mets felt it best to use him as the DH.
“I wanted him in the lineup,” manager Carlos Mendoza said of McNeil. “That’s the whole reason behind getting the lefty in there.”
The numbers might make it seem like a strange decision since Taillon is holding left-handed hitters to a .161 average this season, while right-handers are hitting .290 off of him. However, Vientos has had an up-and-down start to the season. The 25-year-old struggled at the plate to start the season before the hard contact finally started to result in hits. And while his glove has been fine, it hasn’t exactly been great.
However, he’s hit safely in his last five games to bring his average up to .220, so he won’t be on the bench for long. Mendoza said it’s not a “strict platoon matchup” but he wanted to get McNeil, Baty and Acuña in the lineup.
Acuña has been a spark plug of sorts for the lineup but was left on the bench twice in Arizona earlier in the week. Finding at-bats for a young player who has shown an ability to contribute off the bench is important so he can continue to develop in the big leagues.
“It’s what every player goes through at the big league level — being able to do it day in and day out,” Mendoza said of the 23-year-old infielder. “He’s going to have to make some adjustments, and that’s the challenge. That’s why it’s not easy to play at a high level day in and day out, and it’s always an adjustment period here for the younger players when they get to the big leagues, because the teams will make adjustments. So I think that’s the next level for him.”
Pitchers are going to figure out how to neutralize Acuña at the plate. Rookies are prone to slumps for this reason, and the ones who make it out of those slumps are the ones who learn to hit their way out of them.
Acuña has yet to hit that point, but he’s also not playing every day. It’s a different challenge, but one the Mets think he can handle.
“We know the tools, we know he’s having success, and we know everything that he brings to the table,” Mendoza said. “But I think as he continues to get opportunities, teams will adjust to it, and he’s going to have to make some adjustments as well.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Right-hander Frankie Montas (lat strain) is coming up on a big benchmark in his rehab. After four bullpens, the starter is finally getting ready to face hitters, which could happen by the end of next week.
Right-hander Paul Blackburn (knee inflammation) will make another rehab start Sunday, this one with Triple-A Syracuse. The Mets want to stretch him out to 70 pitches, and he’s scheduled to throw 50 on Sunday. Mendoza estimates that Blackburn would need three or four more rehab starts to reach that threshold.
