While it hasn’t been the season the New York Mets have hoped for thus far this season, the MLB schedule must roll along, and there’s a big series at Citi Field this weekend as the Los Angeles Dodgers are coming into town.
Before the Dodgers series opener, the New York Mets revealed their lineup, which includes a notable change with Francisco Lindor. The Mets will roll with Sean Manaea (2-5, 4.74 ERA, 81 SO) as the starter in the series opener, while the Dodgers are going with Roki Sasaki on Friday night.
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Francisco Lindor Batting 4th on Friday
GettyMILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – JULY 22: Francisco Lindor #12 of the New York Mets loses his bat against the Milwaukee Brewers in the fifth inning at American Family Field on July 22, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
Courtesy of @UnderdogMLB, here is the full Mets’ lineup for 7/24:
Mets 7/24: “A. Ewing LF J. Soto DH B. Bichette 3B F. Lindor SS C. Benge RF L. Robert Jr. CF J. Young 1B M. Semien 2B F. Alvarez C S. Manaea SP”
A. Ewing LF J. Soto DH B. Bichette 3B F. Lindor SS C. Benge RF L. Robert Jr. CF J. Young 1B M. Semien 2B F. Alvarez C
S. Manaea SP
Some notables from the Mets lineup drop:
Juan Soto is back in the lineup as the DH. Luis Robert Jr. is also back in the batting order, and Francisco Alvarez gets the start behind the plate to form a battery with starter Sean Manaea.
The New York Mets are looking to finish the season strong, and picking up a series win against the Dodgers could go a long way for team morale headed into the final two months of the season.
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Francisco Lindor this Season with the Mets
GettyMILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – JULY 21: Francisco Lindor #12 of the New York Mets hits a double in the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on July 21, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
A big reason the New York Mets have struggled this season is due to Francisco Lindor missing several months with a calf injury.
It’s not like New York has played much better in his return, but his absence from the lineup for 60+ games was hard to replace.
Over 176 at-bats this season, Lindor is batting .233 with six home runs, 24 runs scored, 16 RBI, and an OPS+ of 97.
The Dodgers-Mets series this weekend marks a rematch of the 2024 NLCS, which belonged to the Dodgers, who went on to defeat the New York Yankees in the World Series.
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