No Francisco Lindor? Mets fully buy into it takes team effort to keep going
Mets pitcher Jose Butto and shortstop Luisangel Acuna look on from the dugout before an MLB game against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field on Wednesday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Francisco Lindor actually made it as far to the rightfield grass before Wednesday night’s series finale against the Nationals. The injured shortstop, still nursing a painful back, did some light running, a few more aggressive zig-zags, then finished up by playing catch.
The other Mets, many camped around the batting cage, barely noticed.
That’s not to say Lindor’s progress isn’t at the forefront of this team’s psyche. It’s just more reflective of the Mets’ uncommon ability to shrug off adversity this season, a muscle memory developed over the past six months, starting in spring training with the loss of their presumptive ace, Kodai Senga.
For the record, the Mets are now 3-0 minus Lindor, and outscored the Nationals, 22-2 during the three-game sweep at Citi Field. Wednesday’s 10-0 mic drop was the least competitive of the bunch, as Brandon Nimmo’s three-run homer powered a nine-run fourth inning. If anyone expected these Mets to wallow over the absence of Lindor -- a fair assumption, given the MVP candidate’s importance all year -- they underestimate the resiliency that has propelled this team to the brink of the playoffs.
“He is a huge, integral part of our team and cannot be replaced,” Nimmo said. “But to see guys step up, it’s been really, really cool. One of the things we’ve been trying to say is -- just be yourself. You cannot replace Francisco Lindor. But we are good enough that if we’re just the best versions of ourselves, then we can still win games and still be a very, very good team. I’ve been very proud of the way the guys have responded to it.”
What is it about the 2024 Mets and team meetings? They were 11 games under .500 at the end of May, yet credit a players-only clubhouse summit (theme:accountability) for helping them rally to an MLB-best .639 winning percentage (62-35) over their last 97 games.
On Monday, as the Mets restlessly waited for Lindor’s MRI results, they huddled again -- this time under the direction of manager Carlos Mendoza, president of baseball operations and cameo by Pete Alonso -- for another clubhouse vibe check. When I suggested to Mendoza late Wednesday that it had to be an anxious time not knowing Lindor’s status going forward, the manager disagreed.
“I don’t know that we felt that way,” Mendoza said. “I think one of the reasons we wanted to get the group together was to get on the same page, meaning, ‘We’re good.’ People will go down, people will continue to step up, and we’ve shown that.”
People like highly-touted rookie Luisangel Acuna, who took over shortstop duties the past two nights and did a great Lindor impression. Acuna only made his major-league debut last Saturday in Philly, yet looked remarkably comfortable in these pivotal Citi Field games, playing stellar defense and flashing serious pop at the plate by going deep twice on consecutive nights (he’s also 7-for-15 with one double and four RBIs).
Hard to believe last year’s price tag on Acuna a year ago was 14 months of a rapidly-aging Max Scherzer and what now seems like the bargain price of $35.5 million, the sunk-cost left on the three-time Cy Young winner’s contract the Mets shipped to the Rangers. Not a bad investment by owner Steve Cohen, and a particularly useful one here in late September.
The spark provided by Tyrone Taylor (8-for-20, 4 doubles, 1 HR), the resurgence of Mark Vientos and Nimmo, as well as Alonso shouldering some of the load. The all-hands-on-deck mentality has spurred the Mets this far, and there’s no reason to think it’s slowing down any time soon, even with a step up in weight class for the remainder of the stretch run against the Phillies, Atlanta and Brewers.
That confidence starts with a rotation that only seems to get stronger as the season wears on. With Jose Quintana’s seven scoreless innings Wednesday, the Mets starters are now 7-1 with a 1.86 ERA in September, averaging over 6 1/3 innings each time they take the ball.They’ve done all that after losing promising rookie starter Christian Scott (Tommy John surgery) and more recently trade deadline import Paul Blackburn (spinal fluid leak) along the journey to cement their wild-card status.
“We feel really good,” Quintana said. “I think it’s a really healthy competition for the starters, to see who can go deep. It’s amazing to be a part of this group.”
With Lindor watching from the bench, the Mets haven’t skipped a beat. On Monday night, Jose Iglesias drove in the tying run and Starling Marte the walkoff game-winner in the 10th inning to deliver a 2-1 victory. On Tuesday, Alonso roared back to being his Polar Bear self, with a double, his 33rd homer and five RBIs, the closest the Mets could possibly get to a Lindor-caliber performance in the Mets’ 10-1 rout.
“We know we’re good, and they know they’re good hitters,” Mendoza said. “The biggest thing is they never panic. They believe in themselves and stay with the process.”
It’s worked pretty well to this point, with the Mets holding a two-game lead on Atlanta for the third wild-card spot and October baseball closer to becoming a reality. And if all this has been possible without Lindor, what isn’t within reach for these Mets?
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.
