Mark Vientos’ return is looming.
That will mean more competition for Brett Baty to remain a regular in the lineup.
And an increased likelihood Ronny Mauricio is sent back down to the minors.
Each homered and was a rare bright spot for the Mets in an otherwise dreary 8-4 loss to the Rays on Saturday afternoon at Citi Field.
Baty crushed a solo homer in the third inning to right field.
Its 115.6 mph exit velocity was the highest of his career and highest of any batted ball by a Mets player this year.
He had been slumping, entering Saturday’s clash with a .132/.209/.211 slash line in his previous 12 games.
“I think I’ve been hitting the ball hard these past couple of weeks pretty consistently,” Baty said. “Just kind of right at people. … I feel good right now. I think it’s just about staying consistent.”
Vientos, who will begin a rehab assignment either Tuesday or Wednesday at Triple-A Syracuse, won the starting third base gig last year over Baty, but struggled this season before hitting the injured list with a hamstring strain.
And Baty had been carving more and more into Vientos’ playing time and has largely held the role since.
“To be honest, I’m not thinking about that at all,” Baty said of the crowded competition at third base. “I’m just trying to help win ball games for this club.”
What helps Baty in maintaining a role is that he’s able to play third and second base.
“I think it’s kind of fun, honestly. Bouncing around, practicing at all the different positions,” Baty said. “Sometimes, I even take ground balls at shortstop or at first. I kind of like bouncing all over.”
The Mets called up Mauricio after Vientos’ injury, and that has meant more time at second base for Baty — Mauricio has played third base in seven of the nine games he’s played in.
He belted a solo homer in the fifth inning Saturday.
He has shown exciting flashes, but after going 1-for-4 at the plate on Saturday is just 6-for-32 on the season. He is the most obvious candidate to get demoted to the minors when Vientos returns.
Unless he’s able to go on a tear in the near future and make that decision more difficult.
“He’s been on and off,” manager Carlos Mendoza said of Mauricio. “We’ve seen a couple of good games in Colorado, but then missing pitches in the strike zone and then they’re making him chase. I’ve been saying it, we gotta be patient with him. He missed a lot of time, he continues to get playing time here, it’s an adjustment for him at the big league level. A couple of good games, then not so good.”
It seems as if Vientos will return sooner rather than later.
But until he is back, Baty and Mauricio will have valuable opportunities to make their case to remain part of Mendoza’s plan.
