Mark Vientos Injury Update: When Will Mets Infielder Return to the Lineup?
Mark Vientos will not need surgery for his fractured right hand, but the New York Mets infielder is facing a six-to-eight-week absence, per Abbey Mastracco.
The update came Friday after Vientos was struck by a 92.2 mph sinker from Kansas City Royals pitcher Michael Wacha in the second inning of Thursday's 7-3 win at Citi Field. He stayed in briefly but was pulled before the third inning. The Mets placed him on the 10-day injured list Friday and called up infielder Zack Short to fill the roster spot.
A six-to-eight-week window puts Vientos on track to return between late August and mid-September, effectively ending his first half and wiping out the early part of the second.
Mark Vientos won't need surgery for his hand, but he'll be out 6-8 weeks
— Abbey Mastracco (@AbbeyMastracco) July 10, 2026
Vientos, 26, was drafted by the Mets in the second round of the 2017 MLB Draft out of American Heritage School in Florida. He made his big-league debut on September 4, 2022 and is in his fifth season with the organization. His best year came in 2024, when he slashed .266/.322/.516 with 27 home runs and 71 RBIs in 111 games.
This season has been more difficult. He was batting .211 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs in 73 games before the injury, with interim manager Andy Green rotating him between first base, third base and the designated hitter spot.
Brett Baty, Jared Young, Eric Wagaman and Jorge Polanco are the internal options to cover first and third base while Vientos recovers. Short, 31, gives New York middle infield depth in the interim.
The Mets are 40-54 and fifth in the National League East, 15 games out of the final wild card spot. The front office will use the coming weeks to evaluate which players can establish themselves for 2027.
Vientos remains one of those candidates, and a clean recovery without surgery is the best possible outcome for a player the Mets still view as part of their long-term core.
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This story was originally published July 10, 2026 at 6:13 PM.