Mark Vientos has done everything the Mets could have asked for after being recalled from Triple-A in the middle of May.
But there was an inevitable lull a week ago, when Carlos Mendoza said the third baseman was chasing pitches, and the manager credited Vientos for adjusting quickly to the adjustments opposing pitchers made against him.
After hitting two more homers in Tuesday’s 9-7 win over the Yankees, following a home run in his final at-bat in Chicago against the Cubs on Sunday, Vientos credited a familiar face for the turnaround: Carlos Beltran.
Now a special assistant to president of baseball operations David Stearns, Beltran said before Tuesday’s game that Vientos was one of the team’s young hitters he was trying to help.
He was on the team’s recent trip to Chicago and Vientos said Beltran gave him some useful advice.
“He said, ‘You should think center and right-center [when approaching an at-bat],’” Vientos said. “‘That will simplify the game for you.’”
It worked against Cole, as Vientos turned on a four-seam fastball for a homer to left in the second then hit another four-seamer just out to right-center in the fourth.
“When he stays short and keeps it simple, and when he’s thinking less, he can still drive the baseball,’’ Mendoza said. “Pull side, opposite field, the power is real.”
Vientos said both blasts came with that mindset: “I was legit trying to simplify, trying to put the bat to the ball. When I get myself in trouble is when I try to do too much.”
The fact that the home runs came off Cole, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner making his second start of the season, made it a bit sweeter.
“It feels good to hit two off of Joe Schmo,’’ Vientos said. “Gerrit Cole is a great pitcher. I have nothing but respect for him.”
Tuesday was the latest part of the season turnaround for Vientos — and the Mets.
For most of the first six weeks, he toiled away at Triple-A Syracuse while Brett Baty manned third base in Queens.
Vientos initially lost the battle to be the Mets’ Opening Day third baseman to Baty, only to get recalled from the minors on May 15.
The move was made in part due to Baty’s prolonged struggles against lefties — though the lefty-swinging Baty wasn’t great against right-handers, either.
The right-handed Vientos, meanwhile, has been solid versus right-handers (.761 OPS) and demolished lefties (1.021).
“Honestly, I was confident enough [that] I knew it was gonna work out if I did my thing playing every day.,’’ Vientos said. “It feels good for sure.”
Tuesday, he took advantage of Cole’s diminished velocity.
In the second inning, Vientos turned on a first-pitch 92 mph four-seamer from Cole and in the fourth, hit a 1-1, 91 mph four-seamer out the one the other way.
The Mets needed all of Vientos’ offense, as the Yankees stormed back later in the game to close to within two runs.
The Mets still have questions about Vientos’ defense at third, replacing him with Jose Iglesias in the ninth, but Vientos’ bat will likely continue to be part of their season turnaround should it last.
