Mets’ Mark Vientos ‘progressing’ on road back from fractured hand

Mark Vientos was back at Citi Field ahead of Friday’s series opener against the Nationals.  Vientos has been building his way back up at the team facility in Port St. Lucie.  Back in the Big Apple, though, interim manager Andy Green said the team is encouraged by Vientos' progress.  “He looks really good,” he said. “He’s hitting, he’s progressing -- it’s good to see him bouncing around, taking groundballs and hitting, so he’s moving right along.” Despite the positive progression, the Mets still don’t have a timeline for a return to game action.  Vientos, of course, has been sidelined since fracturing his right hand on a Michael Wacha hit-by-pitch during a game in the beginning of July.  The slugger had been in the midst of another disappointing season at the time.  His struggles on both sides of the ball mainly relegated him to the short-side of a platoon with Jared Young at first base in the weeks leading up to the injury.  Vientos was hitting .211 with just 20 XBH’s and a .644 OPS across 73 games. Young, meanwhile, has taken hold of the bulk of the playing time against both righties and lefties in his absence so it'll be interesting to see exactly how Vientos will be used upon his return.