SAN DIEGO — Look no further than the production the Mets have received from their young players as the team’s biggest developing storyline since the All-Star break.
Notable contributions from Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio, Francisco Alvarez and Mark Vientos have offered a tantalizing reminder of this lineup’s potential.
For a significant stretch, none from that 25-and-under bunch were producing, creating angst at the bottom of the batting order. But suddenly, the four have helped the Mets win, easing pressure on the stars, who seemed almost on their own in this lineup for the first 100 games.
On Monday night, it was Vientos and Mauricio steering the lineup. Robbed of a two-run homer by Fernando Tatis Jr. in his previous at-bat, Vientos worked the count full against Dylan Cease in the fifth inning after Jeff McNeil was intentionally walked to load the bases. Vientos jumped on a 97 mph fastball and hit a no-doubter to right field for the first grand slam of his career.