The New York Mets have struggled through July, and now will face the next couple of weeks without a key reserve player.
The team announced on Friday that first baseman Mark Vientos was headed to the 10-day injured list after suffering a fractured hand when he was hit by a pitch in the team’s win over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday. There are fears that he could miss significantly more time, however.
Mark Vientos Could Miss Up to Two Months
Mets interim manager Andy Green had initially painted a dire picture of the injury, saying on Thursday that he wasn’t sure if it required surgery. The new update means Vientos may be able to return sooner, but the team will still miss him for a critical stretch and Vientos could still miss up to two months in total.
As ESPN reported, Vientos briefly stayed in Thursday’s game before being pulled in the next inning. The report added that Vientos had dropped out of the starting lineup due to his season-long struggles.
“Vientos is batting .211 with 11 homers and 35 RBIs in 73 games,” the report noted. “His struggles, along with the emergence of Jared Young at first base and Green’s desire to utilize Francisco Alvarez, Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto at designated hitter on days they don’t play the field, have largely relegated Vientos to a platoon player against left-handed pitchers.”
Green expressed his disappointment with the struggles Vientos faces, including a long absence ahead.
“I’m just disappointed for what he’s going through right now today,” Green said.
Mets Could Be Headed to Fire Sale
The Mets came into the 2026 season hoping to wash away the disappointment of 2025, when they fell apart through the second half of the season and dropped out of the playoff picture on the final weekend.
The team instead stumbled out of the game, suffering two long losing streaks and lingering in the basement of the National League. With playoff hopes already growing distant, many insiders believe the Mets will take an aggressive approach to sell off assets at the trade deadline.
Some have hinted at an even bigger shake-up, with WFAN’s Mike Francesa saying this week that the team could entertain the idea of trading star Francisco Lindor.
“I think the Mets have decided that, from what I understand, they are trying to trade him, or will be trying to trade him in the next couple of weeks,” Francesa said.
Joe Pantorno of AMNY noted that the Mets are expected to shop several starting pitchers, including major offseason acquisition Freddy Peralta. The Mets have already shipped David Peterson to the Chicago Cubs, and Pantorno suggested another big name could be next.
“Clay Holmes will also have a bustling market even while he’s recovering from a broken leg,” Pantorno wrote. “The veteran righty was throwing in the outfield at Citi Field prior to Thursday’s series finale against the Kansas City Royals.”
But the Mets have set a limit to their potential firesale. Pantorno noted that promising young pitcher Jonah Tong is not expected to hit the trade block, instead likely becoming a centerpiece of the expected rebuild in Queens over the coming seasons.
Mets Announce Decision on Mark Vientos Amid Dire Stretch