Weekly Statistical Spotlight: Mark Vientos

Is Mark Vientos getting out of his Sophomore Slump?  Vientos had a rough start to the season, which was visibly affecting him during his play. He looked dejected many times after recording an out. Since the series against the Phillies, however, he has been on a bit of a hot streak. Vientos has recorded at least one hit in every game since the 4/22 Phillies game, besides last night’s game. This includes one home run, one double, one triple, and eight RBIs. For games from 4/23-4/29, Vientos has been slashing .347/.385/.500 with an OPS of .885 Below is a breakdown of Vientos’s approach at the plate for last week’s games. 

Vientos has been seeing the ball very well. Seven of his eight hits came from balls that were in various spots in the strike zone. His triple was right down broadway, so it is a very good sign to see that Vientos is capitalizing on these types of pitches. Vientos also has been much more balanced at the plate. He recorded a hit off of a curveball, eephus, fastball, sinker, and sweeper. He has been doing a good job at jumping on the fastball and displaying patience for the off-speed, waiting for these pitches to fully enter the zone. 

Another great aspect of Vientos’s game is that he is getting his ‘cheeky’ hits again. These types of hits are slow grounders to no man’s land, which Vientos is able to leg out. As Gary Cohen stated in the broadcast on Sunday, Vientos had a ton of these types of hits in 2024. Being able to reproduce them in 2025 is a sign of good things to come. 

An area of struggle for Vientos has been his high strikeout rate. Vientos tallied seven strikeouts for last week’s games. Only one of these strikeouts came from chases out of the zone. Vientos has to do a better job at making contact with these pitches in the zone, especially with a two-strike count. Being able to put the ball into play keeps the defense honest, forcing them to make the play. See below for his strikeouts for last week’s games. 

Vientos was a splendid surprise last year. He had a remarkable season, which also carried over to the postseason. He displayed his ability to hit for contact and power. Now that it looks like Vientos is starting to come out of his early season slump, Vientos can be an X-factor for this Mets lineup. With the hitters in front of him, Vientos will see pitches to hit. Taking advantage of these opportunities is key. Look for Vientos to make the necessary adjustments to limit his strikeouts by making contact in the zone. Vientos catching fire will add much more depth to this potent lineup. 

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