Vientos’ Turnaround Helps Mets Snap Losing Streak
Mark Vientos transformed from a blunder to a hero in a matter of two innings, leading the Mets to a 3-2 victory over the Twins on Wednesday night, finally breaking a 12-game losing streak.
It began in the sixth inning during a tied game when Vientos made an eye-catching base-running mistake. Ignoring the stop sign from third base coach Tim Leiper, he charged home after Marcus Semien hit a double, only to be tagged out by a significant margin.
Yet, in the bottom of the eighth, Vientos redeemed himself with a timely single to right field that brought Brett Batty home, putting the Mets ahead.
“I’m really glad he got that hit,” Carlos Mendoza remarked, visibly pleased.
Interestingly, Vientos didn’t seem remorseful about his earlier mistake. “I thought if the ball went off the wall, I was going to score,” he shared, admitting he noticed Leiper’s sign but chose to disregard it.
As a player in a lineup that has generally struggled this season, Vientos emphasized his desire to play aggressively—with a hint of risk. “We want to play the right way, but we’re not going to be passive. I’d rather make mistakes than play it safe,” he added.
Shifting gears, Devin Williams, who faced struggles last season as a Yankees’ closer, is having a similar experience this year on the Mets’ side. Despite an outing where he yielded seven runs and four walks in just over an inning, Mendoza indicated that discussions about removing him from the closer role hadn’t happened yet.
“I know he’s having a tough time, but we’ve not had those talks,” Mendoza stated before the Mets’ win.
On the other hand, Williams was absent that day, allowing Luke Weaver to step in for the last four outs.
When asked about his confidence in Williams overcoming this challenge, Mendoza remarked, “He’s done it before.” Yet it’s worth noting that Williams lost his closer title last season and hasn’t quite regained his footing since then.
Mendoza, however, refuses to lose hope in Williams, who signed a three-year, $51 million deal this offseason, despite his rocky performance. “That’s just how things go in this business,” he explained, acknowledging the inevitable challenges and the potential for recovery.
Moving on, AJ Minter continued his rehabilitation with a first outing for Triple-A Syracuse. Coming back from latissimus dorsi surgery, he gave up three hits and one run in his inning without any strikeouts or walks. Mendoza suggested Minter would need around two more weeks of rehab games to adjust back to regular pitching.
Meanwhile, Austin Warren expressed his surprise over an unexpected fan reaction from the previous night’s game. When replacing Williams in a critical moment with the bases loaded, he struck out three consecutive batters, provoking an “MVP” chant from the smaller crowd left at Citi Field.
“I was definitely surprised,” Warren admitted, noting he had initially heard boos but was thrilled to turn the tide in his favor. The cheer he received after throwing a strike to Royce Lewis caught him off guard. “It’s nice to know I could flip the switch and shift their energy,” he said. In his second year with the Mets after coming over from the Giants, Warren felt he had proven some people wrong, despite the team’s loss. “It’s unfortunate we lost, but I felt good about it in that moment.”
