The New York Mets face a significant setback with the loss of shortstop Francisco Lindor due to injury. He has been placed on the injured list, creating a gap in the team’s lineup.
Lindor left Wednesday’s game against the Minnesota Twins because of calf tightness and will now spend at least 10 days on the injured list. Manager Carlos Mendoza shared with reporters on Thursday that determining a precise timeline for Lindor’s return is challenging following his MRI.
“We still have multiple people looking at the imaging and the MRI and all that. We know, of course, there is an injury, and he’s going to be down for a while,” Mendoza stated.
“I don’t think we anticipate something like we did with Juan (Soto) when we were optimistic about a quick return. This situation seems different.”
The injury struck during the fourth inning when Lindor seemed to struggle while running past third base. He scored but soon found himself grimacing on the ground after sliding across home plate.
Shortly after, he exited the game, giving the Mets an opportunity to shuffle their lineup. Bo Bichette took over shortstop duties, while Brett Baty switched to third base to fill the gap.
To counterbalance Lindor’s absence, the Mets have recalled Ronny Mauricio from Triple-A Syracuse. The team plans for Mauricio to step into the starting shortstop position while Bichette returns to third base.
This marks the first time Lindor has been placed on the injured list since the 2021 season, when an oblique strain sidelined him for over five weeks.
As he watches his team strive for victories from the sidelines, Lindor expressed his disappointment. “Missing games is extremely frustrating,” he shared. “It feels tough to be sitting out, but I’ll be there supporting the team, and I’m sure I’ll feel just as anxious as the fans during the games.”
