May 11, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets third baseman Mark Vientos (27) reacts after his solo home run during the sixth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

How Mets' Mark Vientos, Brett Baty can create more playing time for each other

Originally posted on New York Mets on SI
By Logan VanDine | Last updated May 12, 2025 4:00 PM ET

After getting off to slow starts at the plate this season, Brett Baty and Mark Vientos are both beginning to play themselves into the New York Mets' everyday lineup.

While Vientos was expected to be the Mets' mainstay at third base this season after slugging a career high 27 home runs and 71 RBI last season, there were certainly some questions about where Baty might fit on this Mets team or if he even has a place on the roster after back-to-back disappointing seasons. With both young stars beginning to heat up on offense, it's going to be very hard for Carlos Mendoza to take either Vientos or Baty out of the lineup.

Both Vientos and Baty excelled over the weekend when the Mets took two out of three from the Chicago Cubs. Baty in particular raised lots of eyebrows over the weekend, as the former first-round pick hit one of the four home runs New York slugged against the Cubs' Jameson Taillon on Friday; he followed up that impressive showing by hitting two more home runs on Saturday, which accounted for all five of the Amazins' runs in their one-run loss to Chicago.

Raise the apple pic.twitter.com/vqnr9b4IMz
— New York Mets (@Mets) May 11, 2025

Vientos capped off a great weekend for the Mets' third base duo when he slugged a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning, giving them a 2-1 lead. He followed up that home run by lacing an RBI single during the Mets' four-run eighth inning.

Heading into the Mets' three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Baty has gone 5-for-14 at the plate over his last four starts with four home runs and eight RBI, while his batting average has climbed to .227 on the season. As for Vientos, he has also gotten into an offensive rhythm by going 8-for-21 over his last six starts with one homer and two RBI.

Vientos gives us the lead! pic.twitter.com/LnMVVpmecs
— New York Mets (@Mets) May 11, 2025

Even though the Mets have been hit with numerous injuries this season, one of them to their primary designated hitter Jesse Winker (who could miss up to two months), his injury is creating an opportunity for both Baty and Winker to be in the same lineup everyday and produce for a Mets lineup that already has a plethora of talent.

Carlos Mendoza certainly has a lot of options for his lineup day in and day out and as long as both Baty and Vientos continue to produce, it may be very hard to take either one of them out of the batting order.

This article first appeared on New York Mets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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