Sep 21, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) hits a solo home run against the Washington Nationals during the sixth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
Perhaps the final lifeline for the Mets in what is becoming a lost season rests upon the calf of Francisco Lindor, who continues to inch toward an imminent return after nearly two months on the shelf.
The star shortstop has been participating in simulated games, beginning on Friday when he took at-bats against pitchers from the team’s High-A affiliate in Brooklyn and played two innings in the field.
The hope is that sometime next week, he will be back in the Mets’ lineup, with likely a short rehab assignment preceding it.
In his absence, manager Carlos Mendoza has been forced to move Bo Bichette back to his natural position to fill in for Lindor after the former Blue Jay signed a three-year deal to be New York’s starting third baseman. The initial Plan A, Ronny Mauricio, landed on the IL shortly after Lindor was lost on April 22 because of a thumb injury.
Bichette will still figure into the shortstop picture even when Lindor is back, considering the Mets will do everything they can to reduce some of the wear and tear that awaits.
Perhaps the most enticing prospect of Lindor’s return, though, is his bat being added to a lineup that has shown signs of waking up. Bichette, who was batting .213 as recently as June 2, is hitting .413 with three home runs and 12 RBI in his last 11 games.
Carson Benge appears to have figured it out at the big-league level, and AJ Ewing does not appear to be that far behind, either. Then there is Juan Soto, who continues to rake after his short stint on the IL back in April.
Lindor’s bat makes the top of the lineup that much more formidable, and the hope is that he can pick up where he left off just before his injury. After a nightmare start, he was slashing .360/.385/.640 (1.025 OPS) with two home runs and five RBI in his previous seven games.
