Mark Vientos not in Mets' lineup for Thursday's game against Rays
Mark Vientos of the Mets follows through on his seventh-inning two-run home run against the Tampa Bay Rays at Citi Field on Wednesday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Mark Vientos, one day after hit a dramatic two-run homer in his 2023 Mets debut, was not in the lineup on Thursday afternoon against Rays’ righthander Taj Bradley.
Why not?
“(Daniel) Vogelbach is a pretty good option, too,” Mets manager Buck Showalter said before the Mets’ 3-2 victory. “Can’t play two guys at third base. Pete (Alonso) is a pretty good first baseman. We like him playing first base, too.”
Showalter went over the three lineup spots Vientos could have started at: designated hitter, third base (where rookie Brett Baty started) and first base.
Vogelbach went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts, a pop-up and an intentional walk. Baty went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Alonso (1-for-3, walk) hit his major-league leading 16th home run, a 446-foot solo shot to center in the fourth.
That Vientos was not in the lineup underscores what Showalter hopes is a good problem: Having too many good hitters.
Showalter said he toyed with four different lineups for the 1:10 p.m. game. One of them had Baty in leftfield and, presumably, Vientos at third base. Baty made his big-league debut in left in the 10th inning of Wednesday’s 8-7, 10-inning Mets victory over the Rays. Showalter said he would consider Baty an outfield option in the future.
Vientos, who was called up after hitting 13 home runs in Triple-A did not appear in Thursday’s game.
Extra bases
The Mets’ win on Wednesday night featured a tying, two-run home run by Vientos in the seventh, a tying, two-out, three-run home run by Francisco Alvarez in the ninth, and a walk-off, three-run home run by Alonso in the 10th. According to preliminary research by OptaSTATS, the Mets are the only team in the last 50 years to hit three tying or go-ahead home runs when down by two runs or more in the seventh inning or later.
Sanchez time?
Former Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez, who is batting .308 with one home run in 26 at-bats for the Mets’ Triple-A Syracuse affiliate, has an opt-out in his contract on Friday if he is not promoted to the majors. Sanchez recently opted out of a similar contract when he was with the Giants’ Triple-A club before he signed with the Mets.
Showalter said the Mets have not decided what to do. They could ask Sanchez to delay his opt out and remain at Triple-A.
Alvarez is the No. 1 catcher at the moment with veteran Michael Perez as his backup. Tomas Nido (dry eye syndrome) and Omar Narvaez (left calf strain) are both supposed to start minor-league rehab assignments in the next week.
Marte X-rays negative
Starling Marte, who was hit in the hand with a pitch in the ninth inning on Wednesday, did not start after having X-rays that were negative. Marte entered Thursday’s game for defense in the ninth.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
