The New York Mets had a massive offseason. Steve Cohen and co. made plenty of signings to replace the lost production, and the pitching staff was upgraded, as well. With spring training underway, the Mets are starting to understand the type of team they could be. The only problem is that Francisco Lindor has been out since the start of camp with a broken hamate bone.
Recently, Lindor shared his desire to be ready by opening day. After undergoing surgery, the shortstop had a timeline that would put him back on the field around that time. As of Wednesday morning, that timeline remains intact.
Per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, Lindor had his stitches removed on Tuesday and will start baseball activity within the next few days. His opening day status remains questionable, but he is on track to be in the lineup on March 26 against Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Francisco Lindor On Track to Play Opening Day
GettyFrancisco Lindor is on track to be ready by opening day.
The news that Lindor is on track to play on opening day should not surprise anyone. Over the last four seasons, the 32-year-old has played 161, 160, 152, and 160 games. He is one of the healthiest players in baseball, and he wants to stay on the field.
Spotrac lists two IL stints for Lindor in his career. The most recent was back in 2021 when he missed just over a month with an oblique injury. Lindor should not rush back before he is ready, but it seems that he is used to playing with a little bit of pain.
The biggest issue for the five-time All-Star will be getting back to full strength. Breaking the hamate bone causes the hand to lose a lot of strength. Being able to gain that back and swing the bat as he did pre-injury will be crucial to his recovery.
The other issue is that he broke the hamate bone in his glove (left) hand. Playing shortstop, Lindor is going to get a lot of hard line drives and tough plays. He will need to have the ability to squeeze the glove and hang on to the ball.
Still, opening day is very much in the picture, so expect Lindor to do everything he can to be ready.
Who Plays if Lindor Can’t?
GettyBo Bichette will play shortstop if Lindor is unable to be ready for opening day.
If Lindor is unable to go, New York has absolutely no reason to panic. They signed Bo Bichette over the offseason, and he can easily slot into shortstop. It is his natural position, after all.
Bichette will play third base for the Mets when Lindor is on the field, but having someone who can play shortstop at an All-Star level is a huge positive for the Mets. Bichette is a far inferior defender, but he is good enough to play the position in Lindor’s absence should New York need him to.
In the grand scheme of things, the Mets have nothing to worry about. Lindor will be back as soon as he can, which could be opening day. If he is not ready for game No. 1, expect him to be on the field very soon after that. He is not a player who misses a lot of games.
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