Mets' Francisco Lindor vs. Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani: A battle of superstars in the NLCS
Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor tags out the Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani on a steal attempt in the second inning during Game 1 of the NLCS at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Sunday. Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara
LOS ANGELES
Shohei Ohtani or Francisco Lindor?
No, not for National League MVP. That election wraps by the end of the regular season. Those BBWAA ballots are in.
Come November, Ohtani is very likely to be handed his third MVP trophy, with Lindor the runner-up.
But we’re still in October.
The race that counts right now is the one for a World Series trip, and heading into Sunday’s Game 1 of the NLCS, Lindor had the longer, more proven playoff resume. By that measure, you’d have to give the Mets’ shortstop the edge regarding the MVP trophy for this series, and it’s the hardware Lindor definitely would prefer if he gets them to the Fall Classic.
Now Lindor gets to go head-to-head with Ohtani on the same field for this best-of-seven showdown. Well, for half the time, anyway, as Ohtani has been limited to DH duties since Opening Day in his recovery from Tommy John surgery.
Not that Lindor needed any additional motivation. But there’s got to be a part of him that relishes the chance to showcase what he’s meant to the Mets, especially on this October stage. He’s done it in the past, too, when Lindor used to call Cleveland home rather than Flushing.
Lindor’s sixth-inning grand slam in Wednesday’s NLDS clincher over the Phillies is the most recent example of his postseason heroics, but hardly an outlier. In 35 career playoff games, he has an .810 OPS with seven homers and 19 RBIs. His .258 batting average (34-for-132) isn’t flashy, but given the extended sample size and the October degree of difficulty, it’s certainly respectable.
Ohtani? He’s been ordinary at best.
The Dodgers’ supernatural DH essentially ran the table in every major offensive category during the regular season — Aaron Judge was his only peer in either league — and Ohtani became the sport’s first 50-50 player by stacking up 54 homers and 59 stolen bases. After those stellar six months, however, October has been a different story.
Granted, we’re dealing in smaller sample sizes with Ohtani. After six seasons with the Angels that added up to zero playoff appearances, Ohtani’s playoff debut in the Division Series, a five-game thriller, was underwhelming. His three-run homer in Game 1 was the lone highlight, and his only extra-base hit, as he went 4-for-20 with four RBIs and 10 strikeouts.
Not that Ohtani could ever be invisible, but his impact was minimal. And as a DH, that was the entirety of his contributions.
Lindor’s reach goes beyond the plate, and he’s played exceptional defense along with supplying some of the Mets’ biggest hits, dating to that ninth-inning homer that beat Atlanta in Game 161.
When I asked manager Carlos Mendoza if he’s seen another gear from Lindor when the stakes got higher, he smiled.
“I think I’ve seen a different gear probably three months ago,” Mendoza said. “The one thing is, he’s calm, especially after those big swings. You know, like he’s done it before. It’s hard to control your emotions when you’re in the moments like the way he’s coming through. So I think I just see a more mature player that is controlling his emotion.
“That extra gear? I think that’s just Francisco Lindor. This is a guy that fairly early in his career, he was playing a lot of playoff games, a lot of meaningful games, and even a World Series. So he’s been in this moment. He knows what it takes. People will feed off that, too.”
Mendoza’s right about that. The Mets wouldn’t be doing any of this without Lindor: Their four-month stretch as the best team in the majors. Just getting into the playoffs. And finally, putting away the Brewers and Phillies.
It’s not just the memorable blasts, either. Remember, it was Lindor who battled back from a 1-and-2 count against elite closer Devin Williams to draw the leadoff walk that set up Pete Alonso’s go-ahead three-run homer in the ninth against the Brewers.
To say Lindor has performed like a man on a mission would be an understatement. Just watch his trots around the bases. All business.
“I’m enjoying the moment,” he said. “A lot of people are asking me why I’m not reacting to the home runs. I am reacting, you know. I’m celebrating inside. The job is not finished until we play 27 outs.”
The pressure on Ohtani is off the charts. Not only because of the record $700 million contract but because he is the pride of Japan, too.
During the regular season, Ohtani outdid himself. Without the ability to pitch, he produced the best DH year in the game’s history.
As for Lindor, he’s carried the weight of his $341 million contract — a record for a shortstop — over the past four seasons, along with the fragile hopes of a perpetually frustrated Mets fan base. There’s also the white-hot New York spotlight, which has melted plenty of supposed saviors before Lindor. He seems to have grown even stronger in its recent glare.
“He’s a superstar that we get the privilege to watch him perform day in and day out,” Mendoza said. “And especially in moments like these in October.”
Now we’ll see who plays more like an MVP in this NLCS.
David Lennon is an award-winning columnist, a voter for baseball's Hall of Fame and has covered six no-hitters, including two perfect games.