Sizzling Vientos Strikes Again, Leads Mets To 5-4 Victory! Can He Stay Hot?

New York became one of the worst teams in runners in scoring position production. The bottom of the lineup became a place where runs went to die. Pitchers found it easier to work around the upper half of the lineup, especially in high-pressure spots. The Mets lost numerous close games early that, with a little clutch hitting, would have become wins.  

Vientos’ slump continued into the summer, as he hit .111 in June and contributed only one HR and 10 RBI in July while New York collapsed. Mendoza turned Vientos into a part-time player, which diminished his confidence.

Vientos Wakes Up

A 2-14 tailspin put the Mets’ backs up against the wall, and desperate moves were considered. This led Mendoza to use Vientos more, and he responded, looking like the hitter from last season.

Starting on August 17th and continuing through the end of the month, Vientos hit eight home runs and drove in 21 runs. New York scored six or more runs in nine of their 14 games during that period; the RISP hitting emerged as it maintained one of the highest clutch averages. The Mets’ lineup needs Vientos to work efficiently. If he performs, a hitting chain emerges that becomes difficult for pitchers to deal with.

Vientos, as he did in last year’s playoffs, enjoyed facing the Philadelphia Phillies’ pitching. In New York’s three-game sweep at the Big Apple, he hit .500 with a homer and six RBI. The Mets regained confidence, lost during their summer swoon.

Vientos Continues Tear

In 2024, Vientos performed exceptionally in the biggest stakes games. He looked like the same hitter in the gigantic showdown with the Phillies and has continued to excel in further high-pressure situations.

On Friday night against the Reds, Vientos performed exceptionally. Facing New York’s closest Wild Card chaser over the last month, he keyed a critical victory. He reached on an infield single in the first and came around to score in a clutch three-run inning, helping to set a pace that saw Cincinnati try and fail to keep up.

Leading off the third, Vientos smacked a 427-foot bomb over center field, extending the Mets’ lead to four. New York needed every one of the runs, as they held on tight in a dramatic 5-4 win. Edwin Diaz performed a true high-wire act in the ninth, allowing a hit and walking two. Facing the bases loaded with no outs, he struck out the next two and then was saved by an amazing fielding play by Luisangel Acuna to close out the game.

Vientos finished the evening going 2 for 4 with an HR, two runs scored, and two RBI. He became the catalyst who helped the Mets escape iffy starting pitching and nerve-wracking bullpen work.

End Of My Mark Vientos Rant

Vientos becoming the player fans fondly remember from last year could not have come at a better time. If he had not emerged over the last month, it is safe to say that New York would be out of the playoff picture, looking up at the likes of the San Francisco Giants and Reds.  Instead, they have a four-game lead over the Giants while holding the tiebreaker and have extended their edge over Cincinnati to six games.

The Mets’ veteran pitchers have imploded, failing to give the team anything past four innings in most games. Their ineptitude forced meticulous Stearns to finally make moves he should have made earlier in the summer. He called up New York’s young guns: Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong, and Brandon Sproat.

McLean has been remarkable, winning every start, and Tong looked promising in his debut. Sproat gets his MLB initiation tomorrow. The young arms have brought electricity and hope back to a team that looked like it was walking the Green Mile all summer long.

The hitting has become another critical piece in the Mets’ turnaround. They now have a chance to get redemption from what looked like another horrific collapse. Vientos has been right in the middle of it all, keying multiple critical victories like Friday night’s high-wire escape against the Reds.

Vientos looks like the hitter from last season who enjoyed coming up in the biggest moments in the most gigantic games. It must continue all the way to the end. The talent has always been there; add in renewed confidence, and fans can be confident he will be a September mainstay.