Mets third baseman Mark Vientos exits game early with apparent groin injury

Mark Vientos left Saturday's game against the Cardinals due to groin discomfort.

Apr 18, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets third baseman Mark Vientos (27) is greeted in the dugout after hitting a solo home run in the sixth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The injury bug may have bitten the New York Mets once again this season.

Pat Ragazzo of Mets On SI reported that third baseman Mark Vientos left Saturday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals during the top of the fifth inning due to right groin discomfort. Vientos made two plate appearances before exiting with his apparent injury; he went 0-for-2 with a groundout and a pop-up.

Mets say Mark Vientos left today’s game with groin discomfort

— Pat Ragazzo (@ragazzoreport) April 19, 2025

The 25-year-old was replaced at third base by Brett Baty in the top of the fifth inning.

This injury could not have come at a worse time for Vientos, especially since he's starting to heat up offensively for New York. After a slow start to the season with the bat, which saw Vientos slash just .130 at the plate with no home runs and two RBI across his first 15 games of the season, the slugger seemed to finally get back into a power groove.

Vientos slugged his first home run of the season on Thursday in the Mets' series-opening win against the Cardinals. He followed up that encouraging sign by adding two more hits last night in the Amazins' 5-4 win, including hitting a game-tying solo shot in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Read More: New York Mets promising slugger nearing return from IL

The Mets are expecting big things out of Vientos in 2025 after having a breakout 2024 campaign, which won him the starting job at third base for good. After not making the Opening Day roster last season, Vientos was called up from Triple-A on May 15 for the second time with a chance to make an impact at the major league level and he did not look back.

In 111 games, Vientos batted .266/.322/.516 with 27 home runs and 71 RBI. The third baseman also strung together a memorable postseason for the Mets, as in seven playoff games, Vientos slashed .327/.362/.636 with five home runs and 14 RBI. His RBI total was a Mets franchise record for RBI in a single postseason.

The Mets are hoping that this injury to Vientos won't be too serious, as the ballclub is expected to get more reinforcements back. Catcher Francisco Alvarez is on the cusp of returning from a fractured left hamate bone, as is infielder Jeff McNeil, who's rehabbing from a strained right oblique he suffered during spring training.

Update:

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters that Vientos is considered to be day-to-day. Vientos is hopeful that his groin issue is just cramping, but the Mets will have to wait-and-see tomorrow. Both Vientos and Mendoza revealed there is a low level of concern.