Mark Vientos’ presence at third base was noticeable on Wednesday, but for the wrong reason.
The rookie, in just his third start at the position this season for the Mets — and his first since he was recalled last weekend from Triple-A Syracuse — committed a throwing error that led to an unearned run and was questionable in his judgment on another play that may have hindered his team in a 3-1 loss to the Yankees in The Bronx.
The latter play occurred with the bases loaded and one out in the second inning.
Vientos fielded Oswald Peraza’s grounder behind third base and threw to second too late in an attempt to force out Anthony Volpe.
DJ LeMahieu scored on the play.
Vientos’ other options were to throw home or go for the play at third base with Harrison Bader running.
“My initial reaction was to go to second base,” Vientos said. “I felt like before the play happened I was thinking of a scenario, if it was a ball down the line I was going to throw to second base. It was just too far of a throw and the angle was not good enough for me to throw to home. All the runners on base were quick, so the only play I could have had was probably catching it and going to third base and trying the tag at third base, but my reaction brought me to second base.”
An out on the play might have kept the Yankees from scoring a second run in the inning: Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s sacrifice fly, which would have been the third out if Vientos had retired anyone on the grounder, put the Mets in a 2-0 hole.
In the fourth inning, Vientos fielded Bader’s slow grounder leading off the inning and threw the ball away.
His error allowed Bader to reach second. Volpe’s ensuing RBI single gave the Yankees a 3-1 lead.
The run was unearned for Jose Quintana.
“[Bader] was going to beat that out,” Vientos said, referring to the grounder. “I was just trying to see if I could get him out. I should have honestly held on to it because he was going to beat that out regardless.”
Vientos’ chances of sticking with the Mets long term, would be enhanced by showing improvement at third base.
That would give the team more than just a right-handed hitter who can slot in as the DH.
Vientos also plays first base, a position on which Pete Alonso has a stranglehold.
Brett Baty, also a rookie, has started 67 games at third base and could be the Mets’ future at the position, but that is still unsettled.
Baty has endured growing pains, both offensively and defensively.
It has at least left an opening for Vientos, who had a 1.000 OPS at Syracuse before his recall.
Manager Buck Showalter became more comfortable with Vientos’ defense as spring training progressed, but Baty was regarded as the better prospect at the position.
Then, Baty started the season on a tear for Syracuse, leaving him with first dibs at the position after Eduardo Escobar struggled.
“[Vientos] has gotten better and he really has worked hard at it,” Showalter said before the game. “He wants to be good. He knows he has to settle into a position at some point. Those things have a way of taking care of themselves, just stay true to it.”
