The Mets entered Tuesday a game up on Atlanta for the third and final wild card in the National League and a game behind Arizona for the second spot.
But if they want to actually extend their season into October, the Mets will need more from their lineup — especially with Francisco Lindor still out with back soreness.
From Brandon Nimmo, who wasn’t in the lineup against Washington with lefties on the mound Tuesday and Wednesday and more left-handed starters to come when Philadelphia gets to Citi Field on Thursday, to J.D. Martinez, who entered Tuesday hitless in his previous 20 at-bats.
Those veteran hitters, though, have long track records of success and the Mets have no choice but to keep rolling with them — even with Nimmo’s slump dating all the way back to July.
Mark Vientos, although he’s probably been the team’s most consistent offensive force outside of Lindor, doesn’t have the same résumé.
After spending most of the first month and a half at Triple-A Syracuse, Vientos emerged as the starting third baseman and one of the most prolific players in the league at the position.
Lately, though, that hasn’t been the case.
Vientos had a rough series in Philadelphia — including a four-strikeout game — which Carlos Mendoza attributed to him facing some tough right-handers.
His difficulties at the plate began before the Phillies series, as Vientos entered Tuesday in a 3-for-34 rut, with three walks and 15 strikeouts.
That didn’t stop Mendoza from putting Vientos in the cleanup spot versus Washington lefty Mitchell Parker.
The reason?
Vientos entered Tuesday with the 12th-best OPS in the majors among qualified hitters against lefty pitching at .981.
But the Mets are looking for Vientos to be more than just comfortable versus lefties and Mendoza has talked to Vientos about not getting frustrated during his ill-timed slump.
“We’ve had those conversations informally,’’ Mendoza said. “It’s about keeping him going. He’s playing every day at the big-league level and in the middle of a [playoff] race. Every game, every pitch, that’s part of the development.”
It’s just that this development is coming with the season on the line and Lindor, the team’s MVP candidate, out.
And he’s not getting much help from the likes of Nimmo, who entered Tuesday without a multi-hit game since Aug. 29.
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Francisco Alvarez’s up-and-down season has taken another wrong turn, as he’s in a 10-for-65 slump with just two homers during that stretch.
Even with the recent downturn, the 24-year-old Vientos still leads the team in slugging percentage, OPS and OPS-plus, which is what gives Mendoza confidence he’ll right himself soon.
“I think he’s handling it really well,’’ Mendoza said. “… That’s what good players do at this level. In order for you to be a productive player, you have to have that ability to make adjustments. We’ve seen it from him. The Phillies bullpen is really good right-on-right. Now he knows what it takes.”
The next test comes over the next 11 games, with the season in the balance.
