Managing a baseball team often mirrors the strategy of chess—each choice impacts the next, and sometimes you have to make tough calls to set up bigger wins. Carlos Mendoza appears to be embracing that mindset. By sitting Mark Vientos for a second consecutive game in favor of Jeff McNeil and Brett Baty, the Mets’ skipper made it clear: decisions are fueled by matchups and momentum, not favoritism. And on this Friday night in Queens, that strategy paid off, helping the Mets maintain their winning rhythm.
The Mets continue to thrive by making calculated, matchup-based choices that keep the lineup fluid and competitive. Mendoza’s gamble worked: Baty and McNeil didn’t just validate the move—they elevated it. In the second inning, Baty grinded out a full count before sending a fastball into the left-center seats, giving New York a 2-0 lead. McNeil followed a few batters later, jumping on the first pitch and homering to right, making it 3-0. Baty finished 2-for-4, while McNeil went 1-for-3 before Vientos entered as a pinch-hitter later in the game.
While Vientos has shown improvement—batting .298 with an .827 OPS, two home runs, and eight RBIs in his last 47 at-gbats—his struggles in clutch spots remain a concern. He’s hitting just .132 with runners in scoring position and a 34% strikeout rate in those situations, signaling why Mendoza is looking beyond raw stats when setting the lineup.
In a pre-game interview, Mendoza reiterated that it’s all about finding the right matchups. Instead of sticking with a rigid lineup, he’s letting performance and opportunity drive his choices, fostering a competitive environment that keeps everyone engaged. It’s not about making a statement—it’s about maximizing the chances to win. And in the chess game of roster management, sometimes the key isn’t keeping every piece on the board, but making sure the right ones are ready to strike.
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