Things haven’t gone as planned for Francisco Lindor and the New York Mets in 2026. But the star shortstop showed what’s possible Sunday.
Lindor went 3-for-3 with a home run and three RBI as the Mets beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-1 to take two of three games from their National League East rivals to begin the second half. Lindor also scored three runs and finished a triple short of the cycle, raising his OPS to .695 on the year.
As the five-time All-Star continues to fight out of his slump, he received some encouragement from beloved former Mets outfielder Darryl Strawberry.
“Let’s Go @lindor12bc,” Strawberry wrote on the team’s Instagram page, accompanied by a fist and two heart emojis. “You’re one (of) the best player in baseball history!! Don’t let the foolishness get to you. I’m pulling for you Bro!”
Injuries Have Slowed Lindor
Lindor, 32, missed most of spring training with a broken hamate bone in his hand, then was out for most of the first half with a calf strain. A notorious slow starter, Lindor is still trying to dig his way out of a deep slump.
Even after Sunday’s big day, Lindor is slashing .220/.304/.390 with six homers and 15 RBI in 43 games. Even more worrisome is his defense. The two-time Gold Glove winner has made three errors in his last four games to give him six on the season, nearly half of last year’s total.
“It’s not to the level that I expect myself and it’s not the level that people expect us to play here,” Lindor said, via SNY. “For me, defense, it’s the most important thing and it’s been not good, not good at all. I’m letting down the pitchers that have worked extremely hard.”
Lindor, of course, isn’t the only Met to underperform. New York entered Monday’s series in Milwaukee against the Brewers with a .420 winning percentage, second-worst in the NL ahead of only the Colorado Rockies (.396).
Lindor Has Been Mentioned in Trade Rumors
Strawberry knows what it takes to win in New York. Now 64, Strawberry was a star on the Mets’ last World Series championship team in 1986.
By that same token, few are better suited to walk Lindor through his struggles.
GettyFormer Mets player Darryl Strawberry remains supportive of star shortstop Francisco Lindor.
Lindor’s name has been mentioned in trade rumors of late, though there’s still no concrete evidence that the Mets will actually move him. With five years and over $150 million still left on his contract, plus a no-trade, he seems likely to stay put.
As Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic recently wrote, “Lindor may be showing signs of some decline, but it’s also probably unwise to count him out completely. He is just one season removed from performing as a steady MVP-caliber player. In each of the past four seasons, Lindor finished within the top 10 of balloting for the NL MVP Award.”
Lindor played in at least 152 games each season from 2022 to 2025, twice reaching the 30-30 mark.
Star Shortstop Francisco Lindor Receives Honest Advice From Beloved Former Met