NEW YORK (AP) — Third baseman Mark Vientos was back in the New York Mets' lineup Tuesday night against Philadelphia after missing two games due to groin discomfort.
Vientos left Saturday’s 3-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in the fifth, one inning after making a leaping catch. Brett Baty played third on Sunday and Monday as New York extended its winning streak to five games.
With the first-place Mets facing Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sánchez in the middle game of their series, Vientos returned to the cleanup spot in the batting order.
He entered hitting .167 with two home runs, six RBIs and a .565 OPS. Vientos was 0 for 13 against lefties this season and 1 for 22 with runners in scoring position — although he went deep last Thursday and Friday for his first two homers of the year.
The 25-year-old Vientos improved all those numbers with a two-out RBI double off Sánchez in the first inning and then turned in a difficult defensive play in the second that saved at least one run.
Vientos had a breakout season in 2024, hitting .266 with 27 homers, 71 RBIs and an .837 OPS. He added five home runs during the playoffs and set a Mets postseason record with 14 RBIs as New York reached the National League Championship Series.
Left fielder Brandon Nimmo was rested against the lefty, with the Mets in a stretch of 13 straight games without an off day. José Azócar started in Nimmo’s place and batted ninth.
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The Associated Press
