Losers of two straight games and seven of their last ten, the New York Mets are starting to lose valuable ground in the NL East division.
They are currently fourth with a mediocre 20-23 record, and they are already 6.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves for the division lead.
The Mets offense is not bad, but certainly lacks punch outside of Pete Alonso (14 home runs).
That’s why the franchise is shaking things up and calling up one of their best prospects.
“The New York Mets are calling up slugger Mark Vientos, sources tell ESPN. Vientos, 23, is hitting .333/.416/.688 with 13 home runs in 38 games at AAA this season, and as the Mets look to escape this dreadful start, they’ll turn to Vientos as part of the solution,” MLB insider Jeff Passan tweeted.
The New York Mets are calling up slugger Mark Vientos, sources tell ESPN. Vientos, 23, is hitting .333/.416/.688 with 13 home runs in 38 games at AAA this season, and as the Mets look to escape this dreadful start, they’ll turn to Vientos as part of the solution.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) May 17, 2023
Vientos and Brett Baty are seen as the future of the Mets lineup.
The latter has already had an impact with the team in 2023.
Now, it’s time to see what Vientos can do with an extended chance.
He was thriving in Triple-A, as he cut his strikeout rate from 28.6 percent to 20.5 percent from 2022 to 2023.
As a result, he increased his batting average.
Vientos already had a failed stint in the majors last year, when he hit a home runs and posted a .546 OPS in 41 trips to the plate.
Still, he seems more mature as a hitter, recognizing when to swing and when to take a pitch.
The owner of some impressive raw power, he has the potential to give a struggling team quite a boost.
Hopefully, the Mets give him a true chance this time.
NEXT:
A Mets Starter Owns A Pitiful 2023 Mark
