NEW YORK (AP) — Third baseman Mark Vientos was scratched from the New York Mets’ lineup Friday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers because of abdominal soreness, and left fielder Brandon Nimmo exited the game with a stiff neck.
Nimmo banged into the outfield wall with his right shoulder while catching Will Smith’s long drive leading off the second inning. Following a 98-minute rain delay in the top of the third, he was replaced by Jeff McNeil in left.
Vientos had been set to bat second against left-hander Clayton Kershaw. But about 65 minutes before the first pitch at Citi Field, the Mets announced Vientos wouldn’t start.
Brett Baty shifted from second base to third and rookie Luisangel Acuña was inserted into the lineup at second base, batting ninth. Designated hitter Starling Marte moved from fifth in the order to the No. 2 slot.
The 25-year-old Vientos began the night hitting .232 with five home runs, 18 RBIs and a .674 OPS. He was 6 for 45 (.133) with runners in scoring position this season.
He had three homers and seven RBIs in last year’s National League Championship Series against the Dodgers.
In other news, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said pitcher Frankie Montas will begin a minor league rehab assignment Saturday with Class A Brooklyn.
Montas, sidelined since spring training with a right lat strain, is scheduled to throw two innings and 30-35 pitches. The right-hander signed a $34 million, two-year contract with the Mets as a free agent in December after spending last season with Cincinnati and Milwaukee. The deal includes a player option for 2026.
Veteran right-hander Paul Blackburn will make one more rehab start with Triple-A Syracuse next week before the Mets must decide whether to reinstate him from the injured list and add him to the active major league roster.
The 31-year-old Blackburn also has been out all season. He is on the 15-day IL with right knee inflammation.
Blackburn is 1-2 with a 3.91 ERA in 23 innings over six minor league starts across three levels this year. He threw seven shutout innings of one-hit ball Wednesday for Syracuse in a win against Rochester.
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