Vientos Delivers In Series-Clinching Win Over Angels

It has been a difficult start to the season for the New York Mets’ offense as a whole. A lineup that was constructed to have long, competitive at-bats has yet to showcase itself. But maybe, just maybe, Sunday’s 5-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels could be a turning point for the whole team, especially Mark Vientos.

After the Angels opened the scoring in the bottom of the first, it took the Mets some time to get comfortable against starter Jack Kochanowicz. Vientos struck out with runners on first and second in his first at-bat. A few innings later, he got into a hitter’s count and made Kochanowicz pay for a similarly located sinker. Vientos crushed the ball to deep center field, giving the Mets a 2-1 lead with his third home run of the season.

The score remained close as the game entered the final few innings, until the Mets added on in the top of the eighth. After Carson Benge made it 3-1 Mets with an RBI double, Vientos had an opportunity to pad the lead. He did just that, hitting an elevated slider off of Nick Sandlin over the wall in left field. His second two-run home run of the game gave the Mets a 5-1 lead, one that would stand in the end.

SWAGGY ???? x2!

A two-homer, four-RBI type of day for Mark Vientos! pic.twitter.com/SJxd0ik47R

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) May 3, 2026

“I think the work behind the scenes is for sure showing these past two days. I’ve been seeing the ball great all season, think I’ve just been missing stuff, and I didn’t miss these two pitches today,” Vientos said postgame.

Vientos’ first multi-home run game since August of last season came at a good time. With Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco and Luis Robert Jr. on the injured list, the lineup has been searching for answers. Vientos is one of the few guys on the roster with the ability to hit home runs. He began the season with limited playing time, but has been a regular ever since.

Power has been hard to come by for the Mets entering 2026, too, with the team hitting the fifth-least home runs entering Monday (27). The Yankees have hit the most in MLB (56). No Met has more than five home runs (both Vientos and Francisco Alvarez have four), and Francisco Alvarez is leading the team in slugging among qualified players (.387 SLG). The Mets rank last in baseball in slugging percentage entering Monday as well (.343).

Many have been hoping the Vientos of 2024 would return at some point, a season where he hit .266/.322/.516 and clubbed 27 home runs. If a version similar to that can be rediscovered consistently, it would go a long way as the Mets try to dig themselves out of this hole.

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