QUEENS, NY — The New York Mets are getting some reinforcements for the bottom half of their lineup, as third baseman and designated hitter Mark Vientos will rejoin the team on Thursday, manager Carlos Mendoza disclosed prior to Wednesday night’s matchup with the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field.
“We just have to get with the trainers, talk to them, and see if he needs an off day after playing back-to-back or if he’s ready to go and play for us,” Mendoza said.
Vientos had been sidelined since June 3 after suffering a hamstring injury. He played nine innings at third base on Tuesday for Triple-A Syracuse and manned the hot corner again on Wednesday before getting pulled after three at-bats.
His return could not come at a better time for a fledgling Mets offense that has received little from the bottom of their lineup during a heinous streak that has featured 10 losses in their last 11 games.
“The reality is, with the bottom of the lineup, we’re having a hard time creating opportunities,” Mendoza said following Monday night’s loss to the Braves. “We’re relying pretty much on the top four or five guys, and then if those guys in the bottom are not able to get on base, that’s why we’re having a hard time scoring runs right now.”
Coming off a season in which he hit 27 home runs and established himself as the everyday third baseman, Vientos has struggled to consistently produce in 2025. In 53 games, he was slashing .230/.298/.380 (.678 OPS) with six home runs and 21 RBI.
Regardless, his ceiling remains significantly higher than the likes of Jared Young — the left-handed DH who is batting .171 this season. Brett Baty, who has assumed most of the third-base duties as of late, was batting .153 in June entering Wednesday night’s affair.
