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Mets Third Baseman At A ‘Crossroads’ Going Into Offseason
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- Mets Third Baseman At A ‘Crossroads’ Going Into Offseason
The New York Mets will be making a lot of changes this offseason , and it's not looking good for third baseman Mark Vientos. His production has tanked, and according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, Vientos has been "marginalized," and he's now at a "crossroads" in his career with the Mets.
DiComo is being kind. Vientos has been a "break glass in case of emergency" player for the Mets for a season-and-a-half now, and he's two months away from a decision that could end his Mets career, as he'll be an arbitration candidate who could be non-tendered.
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Underline that non-tendered possibility, and put a couple of stars next to it if you're in the mood to pile on. Vientos says he still wants to be a Met, but he can also read the writing on the wall, as he noted that Vientos' situation is "whatever life has in store for me."
It wasn't always this way. Vientos was drafted in the second round by the Mets back in 2017, and he was one of the youngest players in his draft class, oozing with enough potential that some pundits compared him to a young Manny Machado or Alex Rodriguez.
Vientos made a steady ascent through the minor leagues, and he debuted as a 22-year-old in 2022, then broke out with the 2024 Mets that made a deep playoff run. At the time, he looked the part of a budding superstar, as DiComo noted.
But Vientos tanked badly at the end of last season, and this year wasn't any better. He struggled with injuries, including a hamstring strain and a broken hand, and the third baseman wasn't happy about not getting opportunities.
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He didn't earn them, however. Vientos shows amazing power every now and then, but most of his at-bats feature the third baseman getting himself out. He still thinks he's the player he was back in 2024, but the eye test tells a very different story.
Vientos also hurt himself defensively this year. The Mets badly needed a competent first baseman when Jorge Polanco went down with a heel injury, but the corner infielder couldn't even do that. Instead he made numerous bad, clueless plays that lost games for the Mets, and it's hard to believe they're going to want to see more of this.
Manager Andy Green has said that Viento has had "good energy" and been a good teammate during his struggles, but he clearly hasn't been watching the same player the rest of us have.
