Mark Vientos took it personally when the Los Angeles Dodgers walked Francisco Lindor to face him in the New York Mets' NLCS Game 2 victory on Monday.
As for Lindor, he's not surprised that Vientos made the Dodgers pay.
Already down 1-0, the Dodgers elected to walk Lindor and load the bases in the top of the second inning, bringing up Vientos. The Mets third baseman has made a habit of getting big hits in the postseason, and he did it again on Monday, swatting a grand slam to put New York up 6-0.
“I’m super proud that he stayed within himself and he was able to execute the game plan,” Lindor said of his teammate.
Asked what has allowed Vientos to emerge in the postseason, Lindor continued to heap praise on the 24-year-old infielder.
“He’s a really good player, No. 1, and No. 2, he understands that he’s not bigger than the moment,” Lindor explained. “He’s gotta be part of the moment. And he’s going out there, and he's embracing every second he gets, every opportunity, and he’s having a good time. He’s enjoying the ride.”
The Mets held on to win the game 7-3, evening the NLCS at 1-1 as the series shifts east.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza lauded Mark Vientos' approach
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza had a similar reaction to Lindor when asked about Vientos. While Lindor praised Vientos for embracing the moment rather than becoming it, Mendoza noticed how his No. 2 hitter sticks to the fundamentals — no matter the situation.
“His ability to slow the game down, you can see him calm, under control,” Mendoza told the media. “He took pretty good breaking balls down and away, and then just having the awareness of the situation and what the pitcher’s trying to do to him, and 3-2, not trying to do too much, staying on the big part of the field…the power’s real.”
Even after Vientos' grand slam, he didn't get greedy. He approached the rest of the game the same way, according to Mendoza.
“Then you see the next at bat against a lefty, just going the other way with ease,” Mendoza said. “That’s the sign of not only a good hitter, but someone who is mature and under control. It doesn’t matter the situation.”
After hitting 27 home runs in the regular season, Vientos has stayed consistent in October. He's hitting .378 in the postseason so far, providing Lindor with valuable protection at the top of the lineup.