The Mets may be reaching a tipping point at third base.
For roughly two weeks, they have used Mark Vientos and Brett Batty in a platoon that has given the club more attacking power but at the expense of defensive flexibility.
The Mets didn’t have a true backup center fielder, so Francisco Lindor and Jeff McNeil played all 19 innings of Tuesday’s doubleheader.
Manager Carlos Mendoza acknowledged that discussions are underway about how long the Mets can continue with this odd lineup.
“I have to get through today, [Lindor and McNeil]“We’ll see where we are,” Mendoza said before the Mets’ 13-game, 13-day rout of a doubleheader against the Dodgers on the fifth day of the series. “Obviously, we’re going to ask them to play. [every inning] Let’s see what happens today.”
The two made it through two games together, with McNeil saying simply that he was “ok” after a long day.
The Mets’ third baseman has been incredibly strong since Vientos was promoted on May 15.
Once a promising prospect, Batey struggled early in the season, unable to translate his dominance at Triple-A into consistent success in the big leagues, but his hitting improved after the addition of right-hander Vientos and his subsequent at-bats against lefties.
Batty is a good defender, and while he couldn’t catch a potential double play in Tuesday’s Game 1 loss, Vientos held his own at third base and made a power play against MLB pitchers.
Vientos, 24, has three homers and a 1.124 OPS in his first 11 games this season.
“This is a difficult problem. There’s no easy solution,” president of baseball operations David Stearns said. “We think we have two guys who deserve to be in the major leagues, and that’s why they’re both here right now.”
“I’ve also consistently maintained that the current roster configuration won’t last forever. At some point we’re going to have to get a little more conventional. But I think we have a couple of players who have proven they deserve to be in the major leagues.”
In years past, there might have been an argument that the Mets were stunting the development of their young players by splitting time among them and not guaranteeing each player an opportunity to practice at Triple-A every day.
Stearns countered that any time facing MLB pitchers is better than none at all.
“We all know right now there’s a gap between Triple-A and major league pitchers,” Stearns said. “I think it’s beneficial for both players just to get the opportunity to play against major league pitchers. And at some point, we’re going to have to make some decisions regarding our roster.”
The Mets’ Triple-A Syracuse University center field roster includes players with major league experience in Jose Iglesias, Yolmer Sanchez and Mike Brosseau, as well as promising prospects in Rylan Bannon, Luke Ritter and Luisángel Acuña.
Francisco Alvarez is expected to return within the next few weeks.
The Mets catcher is a little more than five weeks removed from surgery on April 23 to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb, and is set to begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Binghamton on Thursday.
Alvarez has begun batting and catching practice with a thumb brace and plans to continue wearing it during games.
The rehabilitation period for position players is a maximum of 20 days, meaning Alvarez’s stay in the minor leagues will end on June 18 (barring an option if his rehab is unsuccessful or the Mets decide he needs more time).
Alvarez has begun batting and catching practice with a thumb brace and plans to continue wearing it during games.
“Probably the biggest thing for Alby right now is getting used to receiving the ball and simulating what this is going to feel like from a hitting standpoint in the cage. [velocity] “If the catcher is injured, it just complicates the issue of how the ball will feel when he receives it, so that’s a hurdle. We won’t know until we actually pitch, but everything is looking good so far,” Stearns said.
Mendoza said Alvarez is expected to start as catcher for five to seven innings starting Thursday. The Mets won’t consider Alvarez a candidate until he has gone at least seven innings at catcher in two consecutive games.
Although Kodai Senga suggested there had been a difference of opinion with the team regarding his rehabilitation, which had been interrupted by neuritis, Stearns said there had been no communication problems.
Stearns also said he wasn’t sure when Senga, who resumed pitching practice on Tuesday, would make his debut.
“We don’t have a definite timeline, and hopefully we do,” Stearns said of Senga, who has hit some setbacks in his rehabilitation from a torn right shoulder capsule. “Obviously, the timeline that I gave you guys on this has passed, so I’m not going to speculate on that going forward.”
“I know he’s working really hard and the medical staff is working really hard to get him back as soon as possible. We just don’t know when that will be.”
Regarding Pete Alonso, who is expected to become a free agent after this season, Stearns said, “Nothing has changed with Pete.”
Right-hander Dedniel Nunez, who pitched as the 27th pitcher of the doubleheader, pitched two scoreless innings in the nightcap game, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out three batters.
