How newcomer Mark Vientos added a “private” chapter to the Mets’ magical historical past

LOS ANGELES — After the Dodgers deliberately walked Francisco Lindor within the second inning Monday afternoon, the 24-year-old hitting behind the Mets’ MVP candidate regarded perplexed. Mark Vientos raised his sun shades and cocked his head to the aspect, nearly in disbelief that they had been going to throw it at him.

“I took it personally,” Vientos stated after pitching the Mets’ second grand slam of the postseason with a 7-3 victory that tied the National League Championship Series at one sport apiece.

If the Dodgers did not know a lot earlier this 12 months in regards to the Mets third baseman, who was 10 video games into his 2024 season the final time these groups met within the common season, they understand it now.

“I imply, I wish to be up there throughout that at-bat,” Vientos continued. “I need them to stroll Lindor in that state of affairs, put me up there.”

Vientos, now a fixture among the many prime of the Mets’ lineup, wasn’t even the 24-year-old most certainly to earn his workforce’s job on the scorching nook this 12 months. The 2017 second-round decide’s season started in Syracuse, and he has sported a .610 OPS in components of the 2 massive league seasons beginning this 12 months.

But this model of Vientos, who made the Dodgers pay for a free journey, is nothing like earlier iterations.

“My man has lots of confidence in himself,” Sean Manaea stated. “I find it irresistible.”

Why should not it?

On Monday, Vientos’ blast gave the Mets starter an early 6-0 lead that offered loads of cushion throughout his 5 innings of labor.

“Since he obtained right here,” Manaea continued, “he is accomplished some loopy issues.”

When the season started, Brett Baty was the Mets’ beginning third baseman. But the previous prime prospect’s struggles to get out of the gate opened a door, and Vientos, who was recalled on May 15, was in a position to get by way of in a single big leap. When Baty was optioned on May 31, it was clear that the full-time job at third base belonged to Vientos, who by no means regarded again.

While his identify might not carry the identical weight or status as perennial third basemen like Manny Machado or Alex Bregman, Vientos completed the season with the next wRC+ than each. In reality, amongst MLB third basemen with not less than 400 plate appearances this season, the one ones with the next OPS than Vientos had been José Ramírez and Rafael Devers.

“The energy is actual,” Mets supervisor Carlos Mendoza stated.

It isn’t any coincidence that his rise coincided with that of his workforce.

From Vientos’ call-up to the top of the 12 months, New York was certainly one of three groups to attain 70 wins. His regular development in each the Mets’ manufacturing and lineup — he went from the underside of the league in June to behind Lindor in September — helped flip round a workforce that was 11 video games below .500 initially of June.

In common season video games began by Vientos this 12 months, the Mets had been 61-44. In video games the place he did not, they had been 28-29.

“He is taking each alternative and having fun with the journey,” Lindor stated. “There’s one factor Mark does not lack, it is confidence.”

Lindor is the one Mets participant value extra WAR than Vientos. Both hit precisely 26 house runs from when Vientos was promoted in mid-May by way of the top of the 12 months.

Now, each have made it massive throughout the workforce’s magical October run.

For Lindor, there was the game-winning ninth-inning homer he launched towards the rival Braves to get them into the playoffs and the go-ahead grand slam in Philadelphia that might ship the Mets by way of the NLDS to face the Dodgers.

When the Mets appeared to overlook who they had been in Game 1 at Dodger Stadium, getting blanked for the primary time this postseason and showing uncompetitive within the course of, Lindor obtained them again on schedule in Monday’s matinee with a house run that ended the Dodgers. ‘ The postseason report for consecutive scoreless innings was 33.

So, you may’t blame them for giving Lindor a free base with two on, two out and a bullpen sport that threatens to shortly get out of hand.

Unless, after all, you are Vientos.

“They would moderately take their probabilities with me than with him,” Vientos stated. “But I exploit it as motivation. I say, ‘Okay, if you wish to get me up, I’ll present you.'”

In a postseason area filled with embellished stars, that self-belief helps a less-hyped Met stand out.

In the Mets’ first playoff sport, it was Vientos’ single off Aaron Ashby within the fifth inning that broke the tie and was the decisive blow.

In their first sport of the NLDS, Vientos’ tying single within the eighth inning sparked a five-run body in a comeback victory.

In Game 2 of the NLDS, Vientos turned the third youngest participant to report 10 whole bases in a playoff sport.

On Monday, he turned the youngest participant to win a Grand Slam in LCS historical past. Vientos would add a single in his subsequent at-bat for his sixth multi-hit sport in 9 postseason appearances.

He now leads all gamers this October in hits and RBIs.

“He could be very assured,” Lindor reiterated. “He’s a participant who believes in himself. He does not maintain again.”

Despite the self-confidence and swagger, Vientos has nonetheless demonstrated preternatural poise in constantly delivering outcomes when the chance presents itself.

In his Grand Slam, Vientos stated he did not assume he’d go deep. But when Landon Knack threw a four-seamer proper down the center of the ninth pitch of the at-bat?

“Yes,” Vientos stated, “I would not have missed it.”

As he has accomplished so typically with opponents this month, and over the course of a 2024 season that solidified his place as New York’s third baseman of the longer term, Vientos delivered.

While his 391-foot drive would have been a fly by at Citi Field and 23 different main league ballparks, all that mattered was at Dodger Stadium, he saved going, and going, and going… till he fell previous the wall in right-center area, lifting a Mets workforce that had rediscovered its type and dismantling the Dodgers’ hopes early in a bullpen sport.

“You did not see an incredible swing,” Mets supervisor Carlos Mendoza stated. “It was, let me get within the sport, let me stand within the largest a part of the ballpark, and he was in a position to drive that. You see the following at-bat towards a lefty, going the opposite means with ease and simply throw the ball on the different finish. This is not only an indication of a very good hitter, however of somebody who’s mature and in management.”

The Mets have proven all 12 months that they will not hand over.

In Game 2, after their worst lack of the postseason, they responded behind their MVP candidate and the 24-year-old behind him who’s enjoying like one.

“That’s who he’s,” Lindor stated. “I’m glad he took it personally. It’s obtained to maintain going up.”

Rowan Kavner is an MLB author for FOX Sports. He beforehand coated the LA Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU graduate, Rowan was born in California, raised in Texas, then returned to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on Twitter at @RowanKavner.

(Want nice tales delivered proper to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, observe leagues, groups and gamers to obtain a customized e-newsletter every day.)

Get extra from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get data on video games, information and extra