This year has been a disappointing start for Wind Vientos. The young player was one of the most effective hitters in the Mets’ lineup during their last postseason, but he has struggled to replicate that success so far this year.
Recently, Vientos has shown improvements at the plate, though a major opportunity slipped away early in Friday’s game. After Royals right-hander Michael Stop walked Pete Alonso to bring in the first run of the game in the top of the third inning, Vientos had a chance to add more damage. However, Wacha quickly struck him out on just three pitches to end the inning. Frustrated, Vientos snapped his bat in half over home plate before heading back to the dugout.
Fortunately, Vientos had a chance to make amends later. Following the Royals’ initial lead, the 25-year-old stepped up again with the bases loaded against Carlos Estevez, who had experience facing the Phillies in the previous postseason. Vientos worked the count to 2-2, battling through three consecutive sliders before sending a 107.7 mph ball into the left-center gap, driving in all three runners and putting the Mets ahead.
“I was just trying to get one out and load the bases to keep it simple,” Vientos said. “I was making an effort to hit but only managed to bring in one run and found a gap by luck. I’m happy I could redeem myself and do my job for the team.”
The Mets followed up with back-to-back home runs by Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto in the ninth inning, adding four more runs. Importantly, Vientos contributed again with another single to the opposite field. After reaching base twice in Game 1 in Baltimore, he has now recorded multi-hit performances in consecutive games.
Things are finally clicking for him, and with Carlos Mendoza as a mentor, excitement is building about what Vientos could achieve later this season. “He’s a really good hitter,” said the manager. “It took a bit longer than he or we wanted, but he’s been hitting the ball hard, a lot of it on the ground. Like I said, he’s a really good hitter, and we’ll need him all in one piece.”
Fan Take: This update on Vientos is promising because it signals a potential breakout star emerging for the Mets, which always adds excitement for baseball fans. If he continues improving, he could become a key player shaping the team’s future and energizing the sport with his talent.
