“It was just inconsistency overall”

The New York Mets were the team to beat in the first half of the 2025 season. However, a bizarre collapse in the final two months of the season cost them a spot in the postseason.

The Mets had one of the best records in baseball after the first three months of the season. However, they had an inexplicable free fall, going 21-32 in August and September.

Mets infielder Mark Vientos, who had a down year in 2025, shared a potential reason behind their slump.

“It’s when there’s a bunch of noise and a bunch of talking, it’s just you go out there and play and don’t have fun,” Vientos said Monday. “It’s just like, ‘I gotta win. I gotta win.’ And I feel like we put too much pressure on ourselves last year.”

Vientos also shared an assessment of his performances during the Mets’ slump.

“It was just inconsistency overall,” Vientos said. “I think it starts with the routine and stuff before the game starts. I was inconsistent in that part and then that just kind of showed in my season. I didn’t feel good for most of the year. I didn’t have a routine to fall back on, that could keep me steady.”

Vientos, who registered a career-high 27 home runs in his breakthrough 2024 season, slashed 233/.289/.413 with 17 homers last year. His underwhelming performances also cost him the starting role in the Mets’ infield.

Mark Vientos not flustered by Mets’ infield addition in offseason

The Mets have signed Jorge Polanco and Bo Bichette in the offseason, signalling an infield overhaul ahead of the 2026 season. However, Mark Vientos is leaning towards the guys from last season.

“I feel like there’s always a new group of guys every year, so it’s not really something different,” Vientos said. “I have [Brett] Baty still, I have [Francisco] Alvarez, [Ronny] Mauricio. Those are guys I have known since the beginning and they are still here with me, so it’s awesome to be around them still.”

With a surplus of infielders, Vientos has been linked with a move away from the Mets this offseason. MLB insider Tim Kelly picked the Pittsburgh Pirates as a potential trade candidate for the Mets infielder.