On Thursday, Mark Vientos was batting second as the Mets began a pivotal series on the road against the San Diego Padres.
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Vientos has certainly earned his placement at the top of the order, as he was holding a nine-game hitting streak heading into the game. In that span, he was batting .353/.436/.706 with a 218 wRC+, three home runs and seven RBIs.
After leadoff hitter Francisco Lindor reached base via a double to start the contest, Vientos responded with a 100.5 mph two-bagger of his own, driving in the game’s first run.
“I tried to do the same thing as Frankie and pretty much did it,” Vientos said.
Statcast recently began tracking bat speed on batted balls, and they classify any bat speed exceeding 75 mph as a “fast swing.” Vientos’ bat speed on that double was 76.9 mph, therefore qualifying it as a fast swing. This season, he is ranked in the 58th percentile for that metric with a 72.3 mph average.
Later on, Vientos would break the game open with a 101.2 mph two-run single in the top of the ninth inning. He extended the Mets’ lead to four runs in the process and contributed to a major rally that eventually led to four more runs crossing the plate that frame in an eventual 8-3 win.
When asked about his approach with the bases loaded and no outs in that situation, Vientos emphasized simplicity in the face of high pressure.
“Honestly, all I was trying to do was put the ball through the infield or get a sac fly,” Vientos said. “I know we needed runs to keep the game far away.”
These comments display growth in Vientos’ mindset from being swing-happy earlier in his career to his more disciplined approach nowadays. There is no doubt that veterans like Lindor and J.D. Martinez have contributed to the productive season he is having.
He is now batting .282/.339/.557 with 20 home runs and 54 RBIs this season, which has rightfully earned him a major role on this team.
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