Mets call up prospect Mark Ventos

BOSTON – At this point, Mark Ventus is used to the big leagues. What he is not used to is playing regularly at this level.

A familiar situation awaited Vientos on Friday at Fenway Park, as he arrived to find his name off Buck Showalter’s lineup card. Circumstances are similar to his previous stint in the Majors, when Ventus started just 13 times in 25 games earlier this season. Flaming when he arrived in New York, Vientos batted .178/.224/.244 amid disjointed playing time.

This time, Vientos is a cornerback called up to take a spot on Starling Marte’s roster, outfielder. He was blocked at first base by Pete Alonso, at third base by Brett Batty and in designated hitting by a number of his teammates. As such, Showalter offered no guarantees that the former prospect would ever be given much playing time, saying he would “take it with him day in and day out”.

“It’s tough, yeah, but I feel like that’s just the situation I’m in,” said Ventus. Now, how am I going to handle the situation? “It will show who I am as a person. I am confident that whatever is thrown at me, I am ready for it.”

To combat the slump, Ventus said he intends to spend his idle hours “picking people’s brains,” whether it’s teammates, coaches, or other staff. In particular, Ventus has joked that he plans to follow friend, teammate, and National League Rookie of the Year candidate Francisco Alvarez wherever he goes, “because I want to do exactly what [he’s] a job.”

Like Ventus, Alvarez struggled to find consistent playing time when the Mets called him up earlier this season. Unlike Vientos, Alvarez has overcome that hurdle on short notice, playing well enough to force the Mets to use him as a regular forward.

There are worse people to emulate, and when Ventus said he plans to follow Alvarez around to unearth his secrets, he wasn’t quite kidding. Together again on Friday, rookies Alvarez, Ventus, and Bati spent pre-match time inside the Green Monster, signing their names along with countless others.

“I posted on my Instagram and said, ‘Little Mark would be proud,’” Vientos said. “This is something I’ve been dreaming about since I was little. … It’s surreal to be here and actually be able to play baseball here.”