The New York Mets entered the 2026 season with a mix of established veterans and young talent, especially on the batting side. Mark Vientos, who endured trade rumors to hold on to his roster spot, enters his fifth season in Queens looking to revive his career. Laura Albanese from Newsday believes that a recent Mets hire could help Vientos achieve this.
“No one is expecting (JD) Martinez to blow into town and fairy godmother Vientos into the 2024 version of himself, but it sure wouldn’t hurt to let him have a crack at it. Vientos still has considerable upside, but playing time is scarce — he got his first start of the season Tuesday at designated hitter and went 0-for-2 before being pinch-hit for in the seventh.”
“He had just one at-bat before Tuesday, a single. It’s no easy thing, riding the bench and praying you come through in the few opportunities afforded to you.”
JD Martinez comes off the bench and drives in another run for the Mets!
📲Watch in 4K on the FOX Sports App pic.twitter.com/F5OOe9hnKJ
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 5, 2024
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The franchise hired former Mets outfielder J.D. Martinez as a special assistant to the general manager, David Stearns. Although Martinez played only one season for the Mets, he apparently played a significant role in Vientos’ breakout season.
“If you would ask him, he’d probably say he didn’t help me at all,” Vientos said Tuesday. “But I think just being around him and seeing how he went about his business [helped me]. I sat with him on the plane and would see everything he would do [with his preparation],. and I learned so much. I soaked up all that info and it was an honor.”
In 2024, Vientos hit 27 home runs, batting in 71 runs while hitting .266. Vientos took over the starting job at third base.
Martinez’s New Role Owns Recent Historical Significance
Martinez’s role will provide a veteran, fresh-off-the-field insight. The manager and front office can tap into this. Martinez made six All-Star teams and captured three Silver Sluggers. He also batted .285 in 41 playoff games, including an even .300 during Boston’s 2018 World Series run. He knows what it takes to succeed in adverse circumstances.
Martinez’s new job runs parallel to that of Hall of Fame outfielder Carlos Beltran. Both former All-Stars will provide their viewpoint. However, Martinez’s career just ended. Under those circumstances, he maintains a relationship with a couple of players who are still on the roster from his last season in the MLB.
Mets were 0-25 since the sixth inning of last night’s game before this Mark Vientos double pic.twitter.com/Yy7rdiJhF3
— Shea Station (@shea_station) April 1, 2026
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Vientos Seeking Reset, Turning Clock Back to 2024
Martinez, much like Vientos, is a taller hitter, both standing at six-foot-three. That brings a different set of challenges. The height widens the strike zone and tempts pitchers to aim for the corners. In 2024, Vientos’ ball path was not that of a pull hitter. He used center-right 63.95 of the time, according to Baseball Savant. With his longer arms, the righty can take the outside pitch the other way with velocity.
Mark Vientos • 10/14/2024
🍁 Postseason 🍁
🎉 Grand Slam 🎉 pic.twitter.com/9wIkyxW8t9— MLB Dingers (@dailymlbdingers) March 29, 2025
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Manager Carlos Mendoza also recognizes the potential impact Martinez could have on Vientos’ resurgence, adding another layer to the team’s strategy for revitalizing players.
“He definitely had a huge impact on Mark,” Mendoza said. “But not only with Vientos but just in general — not only with the position players but with the pitching staff and how he saw things from the offense and sharing some of the things with the pitching staff . . . he was pretty impactful for us.”
Idk what JD Martinez told Mookie Betts but whatever it was get that man in the dugout and hire him as a hitting coach pic.twitter.com/x0IpTR8Qnt
— Blake Harris (@BlakeHHarris) August 14, 2025
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Vientos doesn’t play a full-time position. Bo Bichette starts at third, Jorge Polanco operates at first, with Brett Baty and Jared Young making cameo appearances. If he wants to reclaim his spot, the bat needs to hit like 2024. Can Martinez be the reason why he sees more at-bats?
GettyMets infielder Mark Vientos
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