BOSTON – Mark Vientos Struggles to Drive the Ball

Mark Vientos hasn’t had much trouble making contact lately, but driving the ball? That’s been a bit tricky.

The Mets’ third baseman/DH had a solid showing, hitting .296 with 16 hits in May, but just two of those were extra-base hits.

He faced the Cubs on May 11 and encountered double the challenges against the Pirates the following night.

“It’s just a small part of a season where I’m not getting the ball out there,” Vientos mentioned before going 0 for 4 in a 3-1 loss to the Red Sox. “Maybe there’s a phase where I drop the barrel each time I swing.”

Last season, Vientos hit 27 home runs over 414 at-bats, but he only had five going into Monday, after 158 at-bats.

Coach Carlos Mendoza noted, “I don’t want him to focus too much on hitting home runs. It’s essential that he maintains a solid approach, controls his strike zone, and swings well at the right pitches.”

Mendoza also downplayed the recent games against some of MLB’s strongest offensive teams—including the Yankees, Red Sox, and Dodgers—especially since the Mets had lost two out of three games to the Yankees over the weekend.

“Honestly, I feel like there aren’t really any easy matches anymore,” Mendoza observed. “Every team seems competitive, particularly in the National League. It’s intense out there.”

Next week, the Mets will face off against the White Sox and Rockies.

In other news, Nick Morabito and Jonah Tong were recognized as Eastern League Player and Pitcher of the Week for Double A Binghamton, respectively. Morabito, a 22-year-old outfielder, performed exceptionally well, hitting 26 for 12 with an OPS of 1.248 over the week.

After winning the award consecutively, Tong pitched six scoreless innings against Hartford, striking out eight while allowing two walks and two hits.

This season, the Mets have managed to avoid losing three straight games, marking a notable achievement. The team’s streak of 48 games without such a losing run is the longest since 2007, with the Mets maintaining 56 games without a losing streak throughout the season.