Mark Vientos enhances his comeback with a home run in his third consecutive at-bat

Vientos Finds His Swing Again

ATLANTA – Mark Vientos is making waves at the plate lately.

After reflecting on his last two at-bats, Vientos kicked off Sunday with a home run, reminding many of the impactful player he was for the Mets last season.

In fact, he’s hit five home runs over just the last week.

“I think I was trying to cover too many pitches,” Vientos reflected on his recent struggles. “I wasn’t being true to myself, and that pulled me out of my strike zone. But I’m focused on what I want.”

His two-run shot against the Braves marked a pivotal moment, as it became the Mets’ only runs in a narrow 4-3 defeat at Truist Park.

In August, Vientos boasts an impressive .887 OPS, contributing to the team’s overall offensive resurgence.

“He’s become a crucial part of our team offensively, and now it seems like he’s found his rhythm,” Coach Carlos Mendoza noted. “With his ability to drive the ball from both sides, he’s vital in our lineup.”

Additionally, Vientos made franchise history as the 19th player to achieve three consecutive at-bats with a home run.

Interestingly, the Mets have yet to see a player hit homers in four straight at-bats.

“When I’m at the plate, I focus on looking for fastballs and just reacting to everything else,” he added. “Staying in sync with fastballs really helps.”

Brandon Nemo returned to action after missing several games due to neck stiffness and was used as a pinch hitter, unfortunately getting retired in the ninth inning. Mendoza indicated that Nemo could be back in the starting lineup soon.

Meanwhile, after Vientos was replaced by a pinch runner in the eighth, Jeff McNeill transitioned from left field to first base. This marks McNeill’s second career appearance at first, the last being in 2023.

Vientos had started at first base to give Pete Alonso a short break during this stretch of consecutive games.

In another highlight, Francisco Lindor extended his hit streak to 12 games with a single in the ninth. During this impressive run, he’s gone 24-for-51, hitting four home runs and driving in eight runs.