Francisco Lindor sat out yesterday’s 6-5 loss to the Dodgers. The star shortstop is day-to-day after fracturing his right pinky toe when he was hit by an 89 MPH slider from Tony Gonsolin in the first inning on Wednesday. Lindor finished that game and told reporters that he unsuccessfully lobbied manager Carlos Mendoza to remain in the lineup last night (link via Will Sammon of The Athletic).
Lindor said that he does not expect to go on the injured list. “I think it’s going to be a nagging thing. It’s a bone; it’s a broken bone. I think it takes six weeks for a bone to be fully healed,” he added. Mendoza said the Mets gave no consideration to using Lindor off the bench last night. Luisangel Acuña drew into the lineup at shortstop as the #9 hitter, while Brandon Nimmo moved up to Lindor’s customary spot atop the batting order.
It was just the second time all season that Lindor was out of the lineup. He is annually one of the most durable players in the sport. Lindor has only been on the IL one time since being traded to New York — a five-week absence in 2021 due to an oblique strain. He appeared in all but three of the team’s games between 2022-23. The Mets scaled that back slightly last season, though he still made 152 appearances and came close to 700 plate appearances. Only Matt Olson, Marcus Semien, Pete Alonso and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. have played in more games since the start of 2022.
Lindor has led off every game he’s started this season. Starling Marte and Nimmo have hit atop the order in the other two contests. Nimmo would probably get the bulk of the time there if Lindor needs a few more days off. It’s possible that the Mets will build in a few more staggered off days for last year’s MVP runner-up over the next month than they otherwise would in order to help manage the discomfort. Acuña would be the top choice to fill in defensively, with Ronny Mauricio as an alternative if they want a higher offensive ceiling than Acuña brings to the table.
In a more encouraging health development, Sean Manaea is set for his first game action of the season. The veteran lefty will begin a rehab assignment at High-A Brooklyn tonight, writes Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Manaea will throw around 35 pitches in his first outing, Mendoza said on Wednesday. Manaea strained his right oblique early in camp.
Lingering soreness required an April platelet-rich plasma injection. He’ll need multiple rehab starts and is likely looking at a return to MLB action around the end of this month. Rehab assignments for pitchers can last up to 30 days. Manaea is coming off a 3.47 ERA across 181 2/3 innings. He re-signed on a three-year deal with a $75MM guarantee (with over $23MM deferred) in December.
What’s with stars and toes?
Toe each his own.
Star? He hasn’t even made an all star game since pre COVID.
That says more about mers fans than Lindor
Recently he’s started cool then gets good a little later, thereby being not his best version when ASG voting happens.
His last 3 seasons: MVP-2, MVP-9, MVP- 9 but yeah he didn’t make the all star game. Amazing analysis.
52 career WAR at age 31. Future HOFer easily
A few seasons back, I was talking Mets fans off the ledge as I was touting him as a likely future HOFer. That’s now accepted, but my update is a touch less optimistic. He’s 31 and for the first time I’m starting to see a few potential signs of regression in the underlying data. I emphasize potential as a full season will be more telling, or indications of other nagging injuries. Not an issue in 2025, but the question is will he age like a fine wine, or begin a quick fade in his 30s as often happens with SS’s.
4 time AS, 2nd in NL MVP voting last year = star.
MSD. Metatarsal Shortstop Disease.
And to each his toe
“Today’s starting Dodger’s pitcher will be Mark Stevens from section C, seat #102.”
These things come in threes.
Betts. Lindor. Who’s next? Or did I miss someone?
Whoever it is, they’re going to have to toe the line.
#ToeGate
With the Rockies, Nats then the Rays coming up why not put Lindor on the IL for 10 days?
Lindor will say no but the Mets need to give him some down time to heal up. It’s a long season.
Yup, especially the way he’s going, another 6 WAR season is looking like a possibility.
Because it’s about pain management and not concern of further of damage to the toe by continuing to play.
The good news is that it’s not getting worse from playing, and since even with 9 toes he’s significantly better than the current 27th best player in the organization, up he stays.
Man, though, that moonshot from Mauricio has to make the Mets feel at least a hair better about resting Lindor one game of every 20, whether he needs it or not.
I broke my little toe twice–so far. One of the times I favored the foot enough that I ended up with a little groin strain that was uncomfortable, so I would think that might be an issue for him.
I broke it and made it worse by banging it against something else. He should rest instead of lobbying. You could technically indeed make it worse
He’s going to be getting treatment, be on painkillers, and wear custom cleats.
Yeah, that’s the real issue, not the toe getting worse by playing while it’s broken.
You’ve got to think he’s getting optimal… anasthetics before he take the field. Still, given the Mets don’t have a premier DH who’d have to sit if they play Lindor there, and that Acuna and Mauricio might be as good in the field as Lindor is at age 31, where by the numbers he’s been very close to average, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to risk a consequent injury by keeping him at SS every day.
It happened to Deputy Dawg—Muskie dropped the curtain on his toe bone, and he went out on the IL.
His backup Acuna has a lower WAR than his brother, who has only played 12 games.
Doesn’t want to go on IL because they’ve got their annual trip to Coors Field this weekend.
Re Manaea, who moves? Megill going to the pen, if they think he can handle it, means taking some of the load off of Brazoban and Garrett. But who gets sent down with Castillo and Butto out of options?
I’d bet Stearns is looking to move Butto rather than being forced into an awkward position with the roster by waiting until Montas, Megill, and Blackburn all getting healthy means getting less of a return for a decent pitcher(s) once the roster gets jammed up and he’s under the gun.
What about going bigger and packaging Megill and Butto and maybe one of the Vientos, Baty, Acuna, or Mauricio?