Francisco Lindor is the Mets’ nominee for the 2026 Roberto Clemente Award, MLB announced Monday. The honor goes to the player who displays the values the Hall of Fame outfielder did in contributing to the community and helping others. Lindor was New York’s nominee in 2025 as well. You can read more about Lindor’s commitment to community here.
Each team puts forth a nominee and the winner is announced during the World Series. The nominees were announced a day before the league’s annual Roberto Clemente Day. Sept. 15 is also the start of National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Lindor and his 29 fellow nominees will be recognized at ballparks starting Tuesday. Ex-Mets Pete Alonso (Orioles) and Justin Verlander (Tigers) are also up for the honor. You can see all the nominees here.
Four Mets have won the award: Curtis Granderson (2016), Carlos Delgado (2006), Al Leiter (2000) and Gary Carter(1989). Mookie Betts won in 2025.
The winner will be selected by a panel made up of Clemente’s three children, officials from the commissioner’s office, Capital One, which sponsors the award, six networks affiliated with MLB (MLB Network, FOX Sports, ESPN, NBC Sports, Netflix and TBS), MLB.com and the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Fans can also vote here in English or Spanish until the end of the regular season on Sept. 27. The fan vote will count as one vote on the panel.
Clemente died on Dec. 31, 1972, when the plane he chartered to bring emergency supplies to Nicaragua after an earthquake crashed in the water off of the coast of Puerto Rico. He was 38.
