Mets' Mark Vientos Scolded for Slacking: 'Unacceptable' Says Star and Coaches
Sarah Johnson
April 3, 2025
Brief
New York Mets' Mark Vientos faces criticism after jogging to first base on a key play, prompting leadership intervention and his public admission of unacceptable effort.
The New York Mets have made it clear: lackluster effort on the field won't fly. Mark Vientos, their promising third baseman, learned that lesson the hard way after a disconcerting display during Tuesday’s game.
In a moment that has likely burned itself into his memory, Vientos jogged to first base on a routine ground ball to third. Miami’s Graham Pauley bobbled it, giving Vientos a golden chance to reach base. But instead of sprinting from the get-go, he shifted gears too late, allowing Pauley to recover and throw him out. The crowd’s groans said it all.
After the game, Vientos faced not just his manager Carlos Mendoza but also team captain Francisco Lindor and first base coach Antoan Richardson, who didn’t hold back in letting him know that kind of effort was unacceptable. Vientos, to his credit, owned up to his mistake. "It’s unacceptable," he stated to reporters. "It won’t happen again." Honestly, owning up is great, but wouldn’t it be even better if it didn’t happen in the first place?
Vientos explained that he had coasted out of the batter’s box, assuming it was a routine play. "I hit it to third base and kind of started jogging out of the box, coasting," he admitted. "Then, I heard the crowd giving a reaction like he dropped it, but at that point, it was too late. I should have been sprinting from the [start], right when he hit it." Lesson learned, hopefully.
Last season, Vientos wowed Mets fans with his breakout performance, boasting a .266/.322/.516 slash line, smashing 27 homers, and driving in 71 runs in 111 games. He even carried the momentum into the postseason, hitting 18 for 55, with five homers and 14 RBIs during the Mets’ NLCS run. But so far, the 2025 season has been less kind to the 25-year-old. With only two hits in 19 at-bats across five games, he’s off to a sluggish start.
If Vientos is going to live up to the expectations that come with his talent, he’ll need to ensure every play counts. Because, let’s face it—no one likes to see a potential star dimming under the spotlight of a half-hearted jog.
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Editor's Comments
It’s refreshing to see Vientos own up to his mistake, but seriously, jogging out of the box? In a game where every inch matters, that’s a rookie move, not what you’d expect from someone who lit up the postseason last year. Hopefully, this is the wake-up call he needs to turn his sluggish start around—and maybe give Mets fans something to cheer about again.
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