The 2024 New York Mets have a ton of options when it comes to Third Base. The recent signing of J.D Martinez, Designated Hitter, could leave 24 year old DH/3B Mark Vientos the odd man out. Here is a closer look at the situation.
Vientos struggled in the vast majority of 2023, leaving many questions unanswered. He put up a -1.3 WAR, hitting 9 home runs with 22 RBIs, batting .211 with a .253 OBP.
The questions that needed to be answered could potentially be deeper investigated this coming season. If teammate Brett Baty (the emerging favorite for the starting third baseman’s job) exceeds expectations, that means Ronny Mauricio will have to shift to another role as well.
Mauricio and Baty look to be the future of the team. Baty, 24, struggled last season as well, prompting the Mets make Mauricio the primary starter. However, that plan failed, as Mauricio tore his ACL in the offseason, making Baty the next man up for the job.
Mauricio, 22, impressed in his rookie season. The rookie put up a 0.2 WAR, hitting 2 home runs, 9 RBI’s, batting .248 with a .296 OBP.
The news came as a shock, leaving the team with no choice but to put Baty at third for the 2024 season.
The team evidently needs a leader and a power hitting DH, where Martinez has the advantage over Vientos. Martinez, 36, impressed with the Dodgers in 2023, hitting 33 home runs with 103 batted in, batting .271 with a .321 OBP.
To say that Martinez has done his job would be an understatement. He simply excelled at his role, especially given that at his age, offensive production seems to simply decline.
Which leaves Vientos the man on the side. It’s wise that the rebuilding Mets trade him, perhaps for some starting pitching, which the team lacks.
The return for a youthful guy such as Vientos should be valuable, making the situation involving Vientos, Baty, Martinez and Mauricio potentially ideal.
To put things into perspective, the team could gain a lot from trading Vientos for help at a position they lack depth in. If everyone is going for the sake of a better future, it’s wise to part ways with the extra positional depth, as any odd man out is likely trade bait to begin with.
Mets Madness 