New York Mets corner infielder Mark Vientos is in the midst of a disappointing season, one in which he’s failed to build on last year’s momentum. Predictably, Vientos has found himself the subject of recent trade rumors leading up to the July 31 deadline — a dynamic he opted to talk about with reporters on Monday.
“I feel like I’m swinging a lot better and I’m playing a lot less now,” Vientos told MLB.com. “It is what it is. What can I do? The only thing I can control is keep getting better, and whenever I get the opportunity, try to help the team.”
Vientos, 25, entered Tuesday hitting. 230/283/.372 (88 OPS+) with seven home runs. Those marks improved after his performance on Monday against the San Diego Padres, when he delivered a grand slam as part of a multi-hit night. Still, his overall contributions have been estimated to be worth less than replacement-level to date, according to the estimates housed at Baseball-Reference.
While Vientos seemed to take a stoic approach toward trade rumors, he did note that his lack of playing time makes it “extremely difficult” to improve. “No, because there’s really no point,” he said about taking his concerns to management. “Nobody cares. Nobody really cares, to be honest, how I feel. But it’s the business.”
Vientos, who has started 12 of New York’s last 15 games, is part of a crowded infield depth chart alongside Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio, and Luisangel Acuña. Hence speculation that the Mets could, and indeed may, move at least one of those players between now and the deadline. Vientos posted a .266/.322/.516 slash line in 111 games last season and was even better in the postseason (.998 OPS with five homers in 13 games)
The Mets entered Tuesday with a 62-45 record on the season, putting them 1½ games up in the National League East over the Philadelphia Phillies.
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