LOS ANGELES — From his perch in the on-deck circle at Dodger Stadium, Mark Vientos looked across the field where opposing manager Dave Roberts was calling for an intentional walk by Francisco Lindor. Vientos adjusted his sunglasses, raised his eyebrows slightly, and nodded subtly. Then he put on his helmet, grabbed his bat and headed to the plate.
“Certainly,” Vientos said, “I took it personal.”
The ensuing grand slam gave the Mets a 7-3 victory over the Dodgers in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series on Monday, not only ending the series at one game apiece but also securing Vientos’ status as one of the top further solidified. October performer in franchise history. With 11 RBIs already this postseason, Vientos is tying Daniel Murphy’s RBIs from his historic playoff run in 2015. He is one RBI shy of the Mets record of 12, held by Curtis Granderson (2015) and John Olerud (1999).
And he did it in his first postseason at age 24, even though he wasn’t even on the Mets’ opening roster that year.
“He just has that South Florida spirit,” teammate J.D. Martinez said. “He has a little bit of an edge. He knows how to hit. He’s not afraid of the moment, and that helps. He plays with that dog part of himself a little bit. I need it.”
Many times this month, Vientos has played just that. After Lindor led off with a home run in Game 2 of the National League CS, ending a Dodgers record-tying 33 consecutive scoreless innings, the Mets rallied in the second inning with a hit, a walk, and an RBI double by Tyron Taylor. Two batters later, Roberts walked Lindor with two outs and the bases loaded.
“We had a chance to minimize the damage,” Roberts said, referring to the fact that pitcher Landon Knack managed to get ahead in the count. “You led Vientos 1-2 and then he made it 3-2, but then you used the heater wrong and it was obviously a big hit.”
On the ninth pitch of his at-bat, Vientos caught a 95.1 mph fastball and hit it into right-center field over the 391-foot fence that Statcast predicted. This is the Mets’ second grand slam of the month, coming less than a week after Lindor’s shot in Game 4 of the NLDS, making them one of the 13 teams with multiple postseason grand slams. It became one. It was also the fourth postseason grand slam this century that occurred immediately after an intentional walk. Others include Howie Kendrick of the Nationals vs. Dodgers in Game 5 of the 2019 NLDS (Juan Soto IBB), Miguel Montero of the Cubs vs. Dodgers in Game 1 of the 2016 NLCS (Chris Coghlan IBB), and It was Paul Goldschmidt of the D-backs. Game 3 of the 2011 NLDS (Montero IBB) against the Brewers.
“I use that as motivation,” Vientos said. “I’m like, ‘Okay, you want me to wake up, I’ll show you.’ Whatever.'”
Two innings later, Vientos singled, giving him his sixth multi-hit game in nine playoff games. His 14 total hits are tied for ninth in Mets history in a single postseason.
This isn’t the arc many imagined, as Vientos has spent the better part of three seasons trying and failing to establish himself at the major league level. But since making a full return in late May, he’s not only managed to stick around, but he’s begun to rise to stardom.
“I mean, I definitely want to be in that at-bat,” Vientos said. “I want them to walk Lindor in that situation, put me there. At that point, I’m going to simplify the game and just put in a run and get a walk and add another point to the score. I just did whatever I could. Luckily, the bomb hit.”
The Mets haven’t exactly moved on from there. Victory still requires at least five effective innings from starting pitcher Sean Manaea, with relief pitchers Phil Maton in the sixth inning, Ryne Stanek in the seventh, and Edwin Diaz in the eighth and ninth innings. Ta. However, Vientos’ hard hitting gave the Mets enough cushion that even Los Angeles’ most promising rallies could not fully increase the pressure on Chavez Ravine to its maximum level.
It also added to the legend of the player whose teammates nicknamed him “Swaggy V” for fairly obvious reasons. Like Lindor, Vientos considers fashion a hobby. He loves flashy accessories and flashy shoes. At his home in New York, about 12 pairs of shoes are piled up in front of his locker.
But those who know Vientos well understand that this nickname is about more than just his fashion sense. That’s the attitude that Vientos embodies.
“There’s one thing Mark doesn’t lack, and that’s confidence,” Lindor said. “But as a player, he believes in himself. He doesn’t back down from any challenges that come his way. I’m happy for him. He’s grown. If he keeps going like this, he’ll really He’s going to be a really good player.”
