There was Mark Vientos, in the Mets’ lineup for the third game in a row, the sort of milestone that would have rightly been meaningless for the entirety of the 23-year-old’s career until now.
Tuesday, though, it signified another chance for Vientos to establish himself in the middle of the order for a team that is finding itself simultaneously reliant on young talent while hesitant to throw the likes of Vientos headfirst into the fire.
Vientos, who is slashing .192/.222/.530 over nine games, has not played poorly but not quite seized the opportunity following a game-tying home run in his season debut nearly two weeks ago.
“I don’t feel like there’s really much of a difference [between the minors and here],” Vientos told The Post before going 1-for-3 with a single and a strikeout in the Mets’ 2-0 win over the Phillies at Citi Field. “I feel like the level of competition is good at both levels, I just feel like the only difference is consistently playing and getting comfortable. And I feel like that’s just how the game is. You play, you get comfortable and it’s back to normal, just playing baseball. And I feel like I’m getting comfortable as games go on and I’m confident that I’m gonna continue getting better.”
If that sounds like Vientos giving a hint of complaint about his inconsistent playing time, it is not. Though he would surely prefer to be in the everyday lineup, he is not about to rock that particular boat.
“I don’t really mind it,” said Vientos, whom manager Buck Showalter pulled for lefty-swinging Daniel Vogelbach (who struck out) against righty Yunior Marte in the eighth. “I like the fact that I’m here and I’m getting better. My goal is obviously to help the team win but to get better as a player as well. And I feel like since I’ve been here, I’ve been getting better and learning.”
Showalter’s reluctance to thrust more responsibility upon his young players has been well noted, but among the trio that also includes catcher Francisco Alvarez and third baseman Brett Baty, Vientos has been here the shortest amount of time and is playing the least.
The righty hitter has seen most of his time against lefties — Phillies southpaw Ranger Suarez started Tuesday — and the Mets are not scheduled to see another opposing lefty until Toronto’s Yusei Kikuchi on Sunday.
It will be curious to see how much Vientos will play this week, or if Vogelbach — or even the rising Eduardo Escobar — will get the bulk of DH at-bats against righties.
For the moment, Vientos seems fine with his situation.
“I’m a student of the game. I like watching baseball,” Vientos said. “I’m the type of person that goes back home and I’ll watch another game of baseball because I’m so interested in how to get better, how to learn. Just watching, you pick up things that players are doing that you can add to your game. That’s the way I view it.”
Omar Narvaez (left calf strain) got the day off Tuesday, when Syracuse did not have a game.
The catcher has played in three rehab games and it “looks like” he will be ready to return when he is eligible, June 6, Showalter said.
The Mets reinstated Jimmy Yacabonis (left quad strain) from the IL and designated him for assignment.
The righty gave up nine runs in nine innings in five games out of the bullpen.
Starling Marte (2-for-4 with a run and a steal) recorded his eighth multi-hit game this month.
He had four such games in March and April.