The New York Mets have been without one of their biggest superstars since late April. Shortstop Francisco Lindor has missed 51 straight games after suffering a left calf strain. In his absence, the Mets have gone 26-25, clearly missing his everyday impact in the lineup.
This year, Lindor did struggle to get going, posting a .226 batting average, .314 on-base percentage, .669 OPS, two home runs and five RBIs across 24 games.
However, across 12 years in MLB, he has proven he is capable of much more as a five-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger. The Mets have also missed his elite defense, as he is a former Gold and Platinum Glove award winner.
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Fortunately, Lindor is nearing a return. After resuming baseball activities and working his way back slowly since the beginning of May, he was finally sent out on a rehab assignment on Friday.
Manager Carlos Mendoza spoke with reporters Saturday and revealed the plan for Lindor along with an update on his potential timeline to return.
Mendoza shared that Lindor did not play Saturday but will move to Triple-A Syracuse to play Sunday. After that, the team will reevaluate him.
Following Sunday's minor league game, the Mets will likely lay out a potential return timeline for Lindor based on how he recovers.
The Mets enter Saturday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies owning a 34-41 record, and while they have been a more competitive team since Lindor went down, there is still plenty of ground to make up.
With the trade deadline approaching, this team is running out of time to prove it can be a contender. However, getting Lindor back will certainly help that cause.
