ST. PETERSBURG -- Mets manager Andy Green said prior to Monday’s series opener against the Rays that after seeing Mark Vientos crush three homers at Triple-A on Sunday, “I think the smart thing is to get him in the lineup as quickly as possible and see if he can do that again here.”
Vientos didn’t have another homer hat trick in him, but he slugged a solo shot to one of the deepest parts of Tropicana Field in the Mets’ 3-2 victory over the team with the best record (82-55) in the American League.
Vientos was activated from the injured list Monday after missing about seven weeks with a fractured right hand. He took the roster spot of Luis Robert Jr., who was claimed off waivers by the Orioles, and was immediately inserted into the cleanup spot against Rays left-handed starter Ian Seymour.
Vientos struck out and brought in a run on a double play in his first two at-bats. But in his third AB, he launched a Seymour changeup on the outside corner a Statcast-projected 418 feet to left-center field. It was Vientos’ 12th homer of the year and his first since July 4.
As he circled the bases, Vientos said, “Thank you, God, for this amazing moment, bringing me back.”
Green was clear before the game: Vientos will get his fair share of playing time against southpaws. But beyond that, his performance will ultimately decide how often he is on the field.
The Mets have Bo Bichette and Jared Young holding down the corner infield spots, and Juan Soto will need plenty of DH days down the stretch as he works his way back from a left calf strain that sidelined him for more than a month. But room will be made somewhere for the 26-year-old Vientos if he keeps bopping balls like he did during his rehab assignment (five homers in seven games) and on Monday night.
“He can drive the ball anywhere,” Green said of Vientos. “... He used the big part of the park today, and there's only a few guys that can do that consistently, and he can.”
Vientos’ blast backed right-hander Robert Stock, who pitched the best game of his MLB career at age 36. He tossed a career-high 5 1/3 innings, issued no walks and struck out four. It was only Stock’s ninth career start through six big league seasons, but it was a total 180-degree turn from his last time out: seven runs allowed to the Brewers in four innings.
Stock threw 50 of his 72 pitches for strikes and said that getting ahead of hitters was the key to start, which earned him just his third Major League victory and his first since April 5, 2019, in a Padres victory over the Cardinals. San Diego’s manager for that game? Andy Green.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Stock is the fourth pitcher in MLB history to go at least seven calendar years between wins with each victory coming under the same manager.
“It’s pretty cool,” Stock said of his long-awaited “W.” “... It's great when you step back and you look at how long it's been, and I can both feel good about the team and myself.”
And as for getting to go back out for a sixth inning, something he has never done in the bigs as a starter?
“Finally,” Stock exclaimed. “That's the job you're getting paid to do, so I finally did it one time.”
Stock’s scoreless start was in jeopardy in the fifth inning, when the Rays loaded the bases with no outs on three singles, two of which didn’t leave the infield. But Stock got Taylor Walls to pop out, blew a 96 mph fastball past Yandy Díaz for the second out and then watched left fielder Christopher Morel leap to snare a Jonathan Aranda liner to strand the bases loaded.
Green likened Morel’s catch to an NFL defensive back going up for an interception in the end zone. Playing just his second game of the season in left, Morel made an impact again on defense one inning later by throwing out Chandler Simpson -- one of the fastest players in baseball -- as he tried to stretch a single into a double to close the frame.
“That's not his defensive home by any stretch, but they were two special plays,” Green said. “We needed both of them today.”