The New York Mets’ first base depth just got thinner.
Manager Carlos Mendoza confirmed before Tuesday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers that Jared Young is out of the lineup due to left knee discomfort, with the outfielder awaiting results that will determine whether an IL stint is necessary, according to MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo.
It’s yet another first base option that the Mets will lose behind Mark Vientos, with Jorge Polanco still limited to designated hitter duties as he manages left Achilles tendinitis. Mendoza previously acknowledged that an IL stint remained a possibility for Polanco if things didn’t improve, leaving the Mets with an already thin depth chart at the position.
Jared Young is dealing with some left knee discomfort, which is why he's not in the Mets' lineup today. He is awaiting the results of testing to determine if it's a potential IL situation.
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) April 15, 2026
With Young sidelined and Polanco still unable to take the field, Vientos is the Mets’ only viable first base option heading into this Dodgers series, regardless of the matchup. It’s unfortunate for Young, who has been giving the Mets production at first, batting .350 in 11 games with two runs and two RBI.
The situation is only further complicated by the ongoing absence of Juan Soto, which has already stripped the Mets of a left-handed bat they had counted on to carry the lineup. Young’s injury now restricts Mendoza from being able to commit to a platoon lineup fully.
The team already entered the season with infield depth concerns, such as in Lindor’s case, where he underwent surgery for a left hamate bone fracture, limiting his availability in spring training. Just weeks into the season, losing two of its primary first base options this early is a problem that compounds by the day.
© Lucas Boland-Imagn Images
The silver lining is that Vientos has given the Mets little reason to worry about the position itself. The bat, however, has been slow to wake up. The 26-year-old is hitting .244 with one home run and a .639 OPS through the early going. That’s closer to the version that regressed in 2025, when he hit .233 with 17 home runs and a .702 OPS in 121 games, than the one that broke out in 2024 with 27 home runs, an .837 OPS.
Consistent at-bats have been the key to unlocking Vientos’ production, and right now, the Mets will have no choice but to give him even more reps.
Whether that remains enough as the schedule gets tighter is another question. The Mets need Young’s situation resolved quickly and Polanco’s Achilles to stabilize before what is currently just a depth concern becomes a genuine roster crisis.
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