DENVER -- That Francisco Lindor was back in the Mets’ lineup Saturday at Coors Field, after missing less than two games with a broken right pinky toe, was hardly surprising to anyone who has watched Lindor’s recent career.
“That’s who he is,” manager Carlos Mendoza has repeated over and over again the past few days.
The audacious part of Lindor’s story, though, is not merely his ability to return to the field. It’s his ability to produce some of his best work in a diminished state. Consider the following three examples over the last 14 months:
Date: May 1, 2024
Lindor’s issue: Flu-like symptoms
The next day: 2-for-3, 2 doubles, 4 RBIs
On the night of April 30, Lindor was feeling ill enough to ask out of the Mets’ lineup midway through the game -- something wholly out of character for the shortstop. He went home, barely slept and woke up sick enough to require intravenous fluids once he arrived at the ballpark. Unsurprisingly, Lindor was out of that day’s starting lineup. But he talked his way into a pinch-hit appearance in the sixth inning, using it to hit a two-run double to draw the Mets within a run of the lead.
Lindor stayed in the game and, in the 11th inning, hit another two-run double to walk off the Cubs.
“It’s tremendous,” teammate Starling Marte said at the time. “When you have a player like that who’s dealing with an illness, it’s just super uncomfortable. For him to be able to come through and have two big hits in that game in the moments where we needed it, it was really special.”
Date: Sept. 27-30, 2024
Lindor’s issue: Lower back discomfort
The next four days: 6-for-17, 2 homers, 5 RBIs
The back injury that sidelined Lindor last September was the most significant Mets story of the stretch run. On Sept. 13, Lindor left a game in Philadelphia after sliding awkwardly into second base. He tried to return two days later but was visibly uncomfortable and lasted only two innings.
As Lindor sat out the next eight games, it became easy to wonder whether he would be available for the postseason -- or if the Mets would even manage to qualify without him. Then Lindor began doing Lindor things. With five games left in the regular season, he returned and contributed a two-hit effort. Two days later, Lindor hit an RBI single and a solo homer in a crucial win over the Brewers.
Then came his pièce de résistance: a go-ahead, two-run homer in the ninth inning of Game 161 against the Braves to clinch a playoff spot for the Mets.
“To have Francisco come through like that,” Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said afterward, “it’s kind of the way it should be.”
Lindor’s back never stopped hurting him that October. He played in every inning of every postseason game anyway, hitting a go-ahead grand slam in National League Division Series Game 4 against the Phillies and producing a .311/.404/.556 slash line over his final 11 games.
Date: June 6, 2025
Lindor’s issue: Broken right pinky toe
The next day: 1-for-1, double, 2 RBIs
Almost immediately after taking an 89 mph Tony Gonsolin slider off his toe last Wednesday, Lindor began lobbying Mendoza to let him play. The manager had come to expect that much from Lindor, who sat out Thursday’s game in Los Angeles and was again out of the starting lineup for Friday’s series opener in Denver.
Shortly before the latter game, however, Lindor told Mendoza he was ready to go. The manager didn’t want to use Lindor on the bases or in the field, but he was willing to give him a pinch-hit opportunity if a suitable situation surfaced … which is exactly what happened in the ninth inning of a tie game with two outs and two men on base.
Knowing he had one opportunity to use Lindor, Mendoza chose this spot. The shortstop responded with a go-ahead, two-run double, to the admiration -- but certainly not the surprise -- of his teammates.
Said reliever Ryne Stanek: “He’s shown that’s what he’s capable of doing.”