Mets Notebook: Mark Vientos called up as Starling Marte goes to bereavement list

After finding himself in a roster crunch to start the season, Mark Vientos is getting a chance to make his mark on the 2024 Mets.

The Mets called up the 24-year-old third baseman before Saturday’s game against the Cardinals and placed outfielder Starling Marte on the MLB’s bereavement list.

Though he wasn’t in the starting lineup Saturday, Vientos arrived at Citi Field saying he’s ready to help the Mets with “whatever they want me to do.”

“It feels good to be back,” Vientos said before the game.

The call-up came about a month after the Mets sent the right-handed Vientos to Triple-A Syracuse to begin the season, having chosen Brett Baty to be their starting third baseman. They signed J.D. Martinez in late March to be their primary designated hitter, while D.J. Stewart — a left-handed power hitter — won a bench spot out of spring training.

Vientos, who hit five home runs in 56 spring-training at-bats, continued his hot hitting at Triple-A with a .302 average, five homers and 22 RBI through 23 games.

“I don’t think I was frustrated,” Vientos said Saturday of being sent down. “More like [I was] secure with myself because I know how good of a player I am.”

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza didn’t commit to how long Vientos will be with the big-league club. Marte, who went home to the Dominican Republic for what Mendoza described as a “family reason,” is expected to miss only three games, which is the minimum for a bereavement-list stint.

Mendoza also didn’t commit to a specific role for Vientos, saying he could start or pinch-hit while offering versatility as a third baseman, first baseman and DH.

“He’s a professional,” Mendoza said. “For a young player that comes into camp with high expectations, thinking you’re gonna get an opportunity right away, and you’re not getting it towards the end of camp, it’s not easy.

“He was disappointed, obviously, but the one thing that he can control is to go out there and continue to get better, continue to work on some of the things you need to be working on, and go play hard. He’s done that.”

Originally a 2017 second-round pick, Vientos made his Mets debut in 2022 and entered Saturday with a .205 average and 10 home runs across 81 MLB games in his career.

Vientos said he worked on “all aspects” of his game during his season-opening Triple-A stint, refusing to focus on the negative after being sent down.

“When you think in the future, that’s when you stress yourself out,” Vientos said. “I was just living in the present.”

He plans to continue that approach while he’s back in the majors, which aligns with Mendoza’s advice.

“My message to him is: Be ready for your opportunity,” Mendoza said. “What happens today, tomorrow, the next day, who knows? You’ve got to take it day-by-day, be ready for your chance, and he will be.”

SMITH TO IL

Vientos’ addition came amid a flurry of roster moves by the Mets, who also placed reliever Drew Smith on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder soreness.

Smith first felt tightness in his throwing shoulder during the Mets’ series in Los Angeles last weekend, then reported soreness after allowing two runs during an inning of work Tuesday in San Francisco.

He underwent an MRI once the discomfort persisted after playing catch Friday, Mendoza said.

“We don’t anticipate this being long-term,” Mendoza said Saturday. “Hopefully within a two-week span, we’ll get him back.”

The Mets called up Dedniel Núñez to replace Smith, who has a 2.70 ERA. Smith’s stint is retroactive to April 24.

Núñez allowed one run over two innings during his first stint with the Mets this season. He boasts a 0.00 ERA over 7.1 innings at Triple-A Syracuse.

MORE MARTINEZ

Martinez felt good after his Mets debut on Friday, according to Mendoza, and was back in the lineup Saturday, hitting cleanup.

Mendoza has acknowledged he’ll find ways to rest Martinez, who experienced lower back tightness earlier this month during an extended spring training in Port St. Lucie, delaying his addition to the big-league club.

The 36-year-old Martinez — a six-time All-Star on a one-year, $12 million contract — went 2-for-4 with an RBI in Friday’s loss to the Cardinals.