Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Francisco Lindor opted not to go on a rehab assignment for his oblique injury that’s kept him out since July 17. Thus his first in-game at-bat came in the bottom of the first inning on Tuesday.
Prior to the injury, Lindor started in nearly every game for the Mets. Sidelined for over a month it’s the largest stretch of games he’s missed in his career. Another box tick for a season that can’t seem to go right.
“The plan is to take it day by day,” Lindor said postgame Tuesday. “I feel good. There was a little delay in meeting with the media because I was getting some treatment, but I feel good. We’ll see, I wake up tomorrow, and god willing, I feel good.”
Lindor will meet with trainers and manager Luis Rojas to see what the team needs and how he feels. It will be a team decision. Lindor would love to definitively say yes he’s playing Wednesday.
The minor league rehab is a lower stress situation than immediately returning to the big leagues, says Lindor. The body isn’t put through as much rigor in that environment. Lindor says he did everything he could while in Los Angeles and San Francisco with the team to get ready.
Lindor batted from both sides in his return.
The shortstop received a boost from the home crowd. A couple of cheers and claps was what he needed to overcome the pregame anxiety.
“I was a little scared,” Lindor said. “I was nervous coming into the game. I don’t know if it was the butterflies of playing again or it was how I was going to react over three hours and not just the 20 minutes facing some of the guys. Today was a positive day for my body but not for the team. We’re going to move forward.”
We’ll have to wait and see if Lindor is in the lineup for Wednesday night’s game.
