Mark Vientos' Best Hope With Mets Now Is a Trade to Pirates

Mets first baseman Mark Vientos (27) reacts after striking out against the Phillies during the fourth inning. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

All season long, it has felt as if the Mets were playing a man short. Now, in July, Mark Vientos has become the true odd man out, especially after losing his first-base spot to Jared Young and now losing his DH opportunities to Jorge Polanco. However, for a Mets team looking to sell at the Aug. 3 trade deadline, this overcrowding issue serves as a good problem.

The last two seasons have been brutal for Vientos, especially after he proved to be a potential star for the Mets. In 2024, Vientos was key to the Mets' NLCS run, finishing the regular season with 27 home runs and a .266 batting average, carrying his strong play into the playoffs, where he batted .327 in 13 games with five home runs.

The production hasn’t been there since, however, as he has consistently struggled to make a direct impact for a Mets offense desperately clawing for help. This season, Vientos has appeared in 72 games, batting .211 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs, producing a .641 OPS while striking out 61 times.

His defensive performance has almost made him unplayable, holding a -8 defensive run value, the 10th worst among all qualified fielders and the worst among all qualified first basemen.

However, there are still some advantages to having Vientos on the team, including his production against left-handed pitchers (an .855 OPS with a .281 average and six home runs). Imagine if he only faced lefties? Along with this, the 26-year-old holds team control until 2029, giving teams around the league a potential long-term trade option.

The Pirates stand out as an early possibility to target Vientos at the trade deadline. Pittsburgh has been in an interesting spot all season long, having the talent to compete for a playoff spot but seemingly not yet ready for that full push.

While Paul Skenes anchors their rotation, the team is led by standout rookie Konnor Griffin and offseason acquisition Brandon Lowe, who has 21 home runs and 64 RBIs through his first 85 games.

However, the Pirates severely lack a right-handed hitter, with Griffin and Nick Gonzales standing out as legitimate options for their lineup. That becomes more of a problem for Pittsburgh as Griffin will reportedly be sidelined for 8-10 weeks due to a torn finger tendon.

Not only would Vientos slot in as a viable DH option, but he could potentially split time with Spencer Horwitz once he returns from the injured list.

On June 19, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that the Pirates are open to trading their competitive-balance round pick in the upcoming MLB draft, as they hold the No. 34 overall pick. The team is also interested in parting with prospects from their minor-league system.

The reason? The Pirates would be required to pay the 34th overall pick $2.9 million, and owner Bob Nutting likely prefers to pay major-league-ready talent rather than an unproven draft pick. Instantly, Vientos becomes a potential trade candidate on a team-friendly deal with three more years of control, giving the Pirates the power-hitting righty they lack on the big-league roster.

For the Mets, it would be a straightforward decision to accept a one-for-one deal with the Pirates that sends Vientos to Pittsburgh in exchange for the No. 34 pick, potentially adding more value to the deal, along with a mid-tier prospect or major-league reliever to sweeten the transaction.