Francisco Lindor returns to Mets and reunites with buddy Javier Baez
Francisco Lindor of the Mets follows through on his first-inning two-run home run against the Pirates at Citi Field on July 11. Credit: Jim McIsaac
A long-awaited reunion finally came to fruition Tuesday night at Citi Field.
First and foremost, it was Francisco Lindor’s return to the active roster, after the Mets shortstop was activated after a month on the injured list with an oblique strain. And maybe less obviously — but certainly of note when Zack Scott acquired Javier Baez at the trade deadline — it was a reunion of two high school rivals/buddies who the team hope will provide the needed spark to drag Mets out of the late-summer doldrums.
Lindor, who missed 36 games with the injury, started at shortstop and batted third in their opener in a series against the Giants, while Baez hit fourth and played second base. Travis Blankenhon was optioned in a corresponding move.
"The energy is going to be sky high, I think with those two in there and just talking the whole game, moving guys around and keeping everyone on their toes on defense and then, too, whether they’re at the plate or in the dugout, they’re very active, they’re very proactive talking about the opposing pitcher and the opposing team trying to do some different things," Luis Rojas said. "Both those IQs are high for the game…Having the two of them out there today on the field and in the lineup, I think is just going to do great for us offensively, defensively, as a team. We feel pretty good about it tonight."
Lindor’s presence means that Rojas will continue to have to rejigger his lineup, a process he said would be continuous. On Tuesday, that meant Jeff McNeil at leftfield, JD Davis at third and Dom Smith on the bench.
"They bring a lot to the table," Scott said of Lindor and Baez. "They can impact the game in a lot of ways, so it’s good to be getting both of those guys back in the last couple days. They’re exciting players and they play with a ton of energy, which is always fun to watch."
Guillorme progressing
Luis Guillorme (hamstring) is now running at close to 100%, Rojas said, and has begun to move laterally. The Mets, though, will need to see more strength out of his hamstring before he begins a rehab assignment ... RHP Yennsy Diaz was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse to make room on the roster for RHP Heath Hembree, who will wear No. 53, pitching coach Jeremy Hefner's number. Hefner will now wear 93.
Laura Albanese is a reporter, feature writer and columnist covering local professional sports teams; she began at Newsday in 2007 as an intern.
