The Mets are almost ready to get their star shortstop back. Almost.
Francisco Lindor will play one more rehab game for Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday, this time on the road against Lehigh Valley. Manager Carlos Mendoza confirmed the plan before Monday night’s series opener against the Cubs. After that game, the club will sit down and figure out what comes next.
“He’s going to play for Syracuse tomorrow, I think they’re at Lehigh Valley, so he’ll play one more tomorrow, and we’ll reassess after the game and see what’s next for him,” Mendoza said, via SNY.
Lindor hasn’t played in a big league game since April 22. That’s a long time for a guy who’s usually a fixture in the lineup. He’s been dealing with a calf strain that kept him on the shelf for weeks, and the Mets have been cautiously building him back up.
The original plan for Monday included a simulated game at Citi Field, but rain in New York scrapped that. Mendoza said Lindor still got his work in, just indoors.
“Obviously, because of the weather,” Mendoza said. “But he’s going to be doing a high-intensity workout today with baseball and everything that he does that he’s able to do inside.”
Whether Lindor will need an off day after Tuesday’s rehab game is still up for debate. Mendoza didn’t rule it out but also didn’t commit to anything.
“We’ll see. We’ll see whether you know he needs a day off. Is he ready to come? Just gotta wait, get through tomorrow, and we’ll have those discussions,” Mendoza said.
What the Mets are getting back
Before the injury, Lindor was off to a slow start by his standards. Through 24 games, he hit .226 with two home runs and five RBIs. Not exactly the production the Mets signed up for when they handed him that massive extension. But it’s still Lindor. A guy who plays elite defense, runs the bases well, and can get hot in a hurry.
The Mets have been treading water without him. They just dropped a series to the Phillies, which never feels good, and they need every win they can get in a crowded NL East.
Getting Lindor back won’t fix everything. But it’s a start. The lineup instantly looks deeper. The infield defense tightens up. And the energy in the dugout — Lindor brings that too.
Mendoza didn’t say Tuesday’s game will definitely be Lindor’s last rehab outing, but it sounds like that’s the hope. If everything goes well in Allentown, fans might see No. 12 back at Citi Field by the end of the week.
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