SAN DIEGO — The rotation continues for the Mets’ young group of infielders, and it’s likely to continue for a while longer, if not the rest of the season. The Mets are doing what they can to put Ronny Mauricio, Brett Baty, Mark Vientos and Luisangel Acuña in positions to succeed by playing the pitching matchups and capitalizing on their strengths.
However, with the way Mauricio is playing, it shouldn’t be a surprise if he ends up playing his way into an everyday role at third base. After the first four-hit game of his career, he was back in the lineup Monday night in San Diego batting ninth and playing third base. The Mets understand how crucial the bottom of the order is to success, and right now, Mauricio is providing some thump in the No. 9 spot, and a revitalized Francisco Alvarez is doing the same from the No. 8 spot.
“It makes our lineup a lot deeper when you’re getting contributions up and down,” manager Carlos Mendoza said Monday at Petco Park. “We’ve been giving these guys opportunities from Day 1. We said in spring training that they were going to get opportunities, and it’s been a grind with ups and downs, but that’s part of a big league life and development. It’s understanding that you want to go through stretches where it’s not easy, and you’ve got to find a way.
“They’ve done that.”
The Mets like the defensive versatility of Mauricio, Acuña and Baty, who can all play second and third base, and Acuña and Mauricio can also play shortstop. Baty brings a left-handed bat and Acuńa has speed the Mets can take advantage of late in games. Vientos has been the odd man out, as of late, especially with right-handed Starling Marte back and producing at the DH spot.
But the Mets aren’t going to let Vientos sit and flounder. He was used as a DH Monday against right-hander Dylan Cease. With Marte’s injury issues, they can give Vientos some right-handed DH at-bats.
“I think it’s a combination of a lot of things,” Mendoza said. “We saw the other day when we were facing a lefty, I wanted both. I think it’s more like pitcher matchups, pitch movement [with Vientos]. With Marte, I’ve got to take care of him too, especially with what he’s dealt with last year and this year, coming off the IL, we have to be smart with him.”
Marte returned to action last week after missing time when the knee injury from last season flared up, but he’s recorded two hits in each of his last six games, dating back prior to going on the injured list. Vientos is riding a six-game hitting streak as well.
As for whether or not the everyday four of Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo, Pete Alonso and Juan Soto will have a day off later in the season, as long as they’re healthy, it’s unlikely.
“The thing with them is they understand that that’s their job,, and it’s not the first time that their goal is to play pretty much every game,” Mendoza said. “They know that we are a better team when they’re in the lineup. They do a really good job of taking care of themselves, like monitoring their workload before the game. Especially once we get to the month of August and September, they maybe save some energy for seven o’clock. But it’s not a new territory for them. They post up and they take pride.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Right-hander Paul Blackburn (shoulder impingement) received Monday off following his rehab start with Triple-A Syracuse. The team’s medical staff will meet with him this week to determine the next steps in his rehab plan, but the Mets haven’t ruled out a return to the Major League team later this week.
The reports from his five-inning rehab start were positive.
“The ball was coming out nice, 91-93 but just commanding the baseball,” Mendoza said. “That’s what makes him who he is. This is a guy that can go in and out, up and down, changing speeds, and that’s what he did yesterday.”
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