LOS ANGELES — Mark Vientos’ stay on the injured list may not last very long.
The Mets received “relatively good news” about the third baseman on Wednesday, according to manager Carlos Mendoza, with an MRI exam revealing the hamstring injury Vientos sustained two days earlier was a low-grade strain.
Mendoza added that Vientos will be treated for 10-14 days until he is symptom free before he begins building up for a return.
Vientos fell running to first base Monday and emerged grabbing at the hamstring.
“A guy goes down the way he did, you kind of expect the worst,” Mendoza said before the Mets faced the Dodgers. “But once he went through all the testing, talking to the trainers, you hate to see him go down at any time, but the fact they are telling us it’s low grade is good news.”
Ronny Mauricio was promoted from Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday to fill Vientos’ roster spot and started a second straight game on Wednesday.
Sean Manaea will begin a minor league rehab assignment on Friday, when he is scheduled to throw 35 pitches for Single-A Brooklyn. The left-hander has been rehabbing an oblique strain since spring training.
Brett Baty, who has excelled defensively at third base since his return last month from Syracuse, started at second base, with Mauricio at third.
Mendoza said he reached the decision on the alignment after asking Mauricio where he felt the most comfortable.
“Mauricio said he was good wherever, but third base, coming up as a shortstop, he’s more comfortable on the left side of the infield as of right now,” Mendoza said.
Mendoza said he’s inclined to stay with that arrangement for the short term but also can envision Mauricio shifting to second with Baty at third.
Mendoza said the game situation will dictate how he uses Paul Blackburn from the bullpen this week.
Blackburn is stretched out as a starter, positioning him to work multiple innings as needed, but Mendoza said the right-hander could also be a high-leverage option late in the game.
Blackburn pitched five scoreless innings on Monday as a sixth starter in the rotation.
David Wright was on the field during batting practice with a group of youth players, including his children. Wright, who resides in the area, introduced the group to Francisco Lindor.
