Francisco Lindor the shortstop of the New York Mets expressed optimism about potentially returning to play for the New York Mets before the regular season that ends next Sunday, though he stopped short of confirming he feels fully confident about his comeback from a back injury over the team's final six games.
Lindor hasn't played a complete game since September 11.
He exited a game against the Philadelphia Phillies two days later due to back discomfort. Following a day off, he managed just one inning on September 15 before being sidelined again due to pain that made bending difficult. He subsequently missed the entire seven-game homestand against the Washington Nationals and Phillies. During his absence, the Mets went 6-1, even taking three out of four from the first-place Phillies, which helped them maintain a two-game lead over the Atlanta Braves for the final National League wild card spot. The teams will begin a crucial three-game series in Atlanta on Tuesday, though Lindor's participation in that matchup seems uncertain.
"If I play this year, I don't think it's going to be pain-free. I'm OK with that. I just don't want it to be a constant pain where I can't bend over. And then I put my teammates in a position where I'm not helping them as much as I can. That's not fair for anybody. And, for me, it's to be in a position where if it's going to hurt, it's going to come and go," Lindor said after the 2-1 victory over the Phillies.
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He underwent tests on Monday that confirmed there was no structural damage, but he and the Mets have not disclosed a specific diagnosis. He received a facet joint injection on Thursday to help with the healing process, which he said reduced the pain but did not eliminate it entirely. The following day, Lindor took batting practice on the field for the first time. He returned for three consecutive days of practice, though the sessions were brief and lacked intensity. He emphasized that he achieved his goal of pushing himself to a limit.
"The goal is to come in every day and work as hard as I can to reach that limit, that threshold, that the trainers want me to hit and then we go from there," he explained. "And today, I got to that threshold. It's another day, another slow step in the right direction," added the 30-year-old.
In addition to batting practice, Lindor has been tracking pitches in the bullpen, playing catch, taking groundballs, and running, although he has not yet run the bases. He noted that while facing live pitching before returning may not be essential due to the limited time left, it remains a possibility.
"For me, it's not mandatory, 'I need to see live pitching' because it's only five, six days. But we'll see. We'll see how it goes," added Lindor
Lindor has had an impressive season, hitting 31 home runs and stealing 27 bases over 148 games, with an .836 OPS and stellar defense. His absence is significant, as replacing an NL MVP candidate like him is challenging.
In the meantime, rookie Luisangel Acuña has stepped in at shortstop, performing well with an 11-for-29 (.379) batting average, three home runs, and a 1.228 OPS across nine games. Jose Iglesias has also taken over the leadoff spot, contributing significantly with a .419 batting average and a .978 OPS during a 16-game hitting streak that began on September 6.
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