Mark Vientos continues his Mets resurgence with homer in third straight at-bat: ‘Locked in’

ATLANTA — Mark Vientos isn’t missing too many pitches these days.

A day after going deep in his final two at-bats, Vientos homered in his first plate appearance Sunday to further resemble the player who helped carry the Mets lineup last season.

He’s hit five homers in his past seven games.

“I think I was trying to cover too many pitches,” Vientos said of his struggles before the past week. “I was trying to be someone I wasn’t, and that would get me out of my strike zone. But I am just convicted on what I want.”

His two-run blast against Bryce Elder in the second inning served as the Mets’ only scoring until the ninth in a 4-3 loss to the Braves at Truist Park.

Vientos owns a .887 OPS in August as part of a team-wide offensive resurgence.

“Offensively, he’s a big part of our team, and he’s locked in right now,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Lefties, righties, he’s driving the ball and he’s an important bat in the middle of the lineup.”

Vientos, with his blast, became the 19th player in franchise history to homer in three straight at-bats.

The Mets have never had a player homer in four straight at-bats.

“I’m looking for a fastball when I am up there and just reacting to everything else,” Vientos said. “I feel like that helps me stay on time with the fastball.”

Brandon Nimmo reemerged after missing three straight games with neck stiffness.

Nimmo was utilized as a pinch-hitter for Luis Torrens in the ninth inning and was retired.

Mendoza indicated before the game there was a good chance Nimmo would return to the starting lineup Monday.

Jeff McNeil moved from left field to first base after Vientos was removed for a pinch-runner in the eighth inning.

It was the second career appearance at first base for McNeil, who last played the position in 2023.

Vientos started at first base to give Pete Alonso a half-day off as the DH in this stretch of 16 straight days with a game scheduled.

Francisco Lindor singled in the ninth inning to extend his hitting streak to 12 games.

Over that stretch, he is 24-for-51 (.471) with four homers and eight RBIs.