The screen cuts from black to show Francisco Lindor, riding in the back seat of a car, wearing a black leather jacket. “Baseball’s always been kind of my coping mechanism,” he declares.

What follows is 45 minutes detailing Lindor’s ascent — from his humble beginnings in Puerto Rico, to his early days with Cleveland, to becoming the superstar now beloved in New York.

MLB Network is set to debut a new documentary, titled Behind the Smile: Francisco Lindor, on Sunday, Aug. 31 at 8 p.m. ET. It’s the latest in the MLB Network Presents series.

Francisco Lindor. Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Through a collection of interviews with Lindor and those around him, the documentary looks into Lindor’s upbringing and how he blossomed into the Mets’ fixture at shortstop. It doesn’t shy away from his down moments — including the adjustment to moving to America and learning the language, along with his struggles when he first joined the Mets.

Lindor’s mother, sister, and wife all included their takes and memories of Lindor’s baseball journey in the film.

Former Indians manager Terry Francona and beat writer Anthony Castrovince give recollections of Lindor’s days as an exciting, young prospect in Cleveland. As does current Mets general manager David Stearns, who was with Cleveland when Lindor was drafted.

Lindor was taken eighth overall by the then-Indians back in 2011.

“That’s when the movie starts,” Lindor says, the hints of his signature smile peeking through.

The documentary gives a glimpse back to his early days with Cleveland, when he was a prodigy just breaking through. He goes through the thrill of making a deep postseason run to the heartbreak and dissatisfaction of losing the World Series in 2016.

But, as Castrovince notes in the documentary, Lindor was always bound to “outgrow” Cleveland and move to a bigger market.

As Mets fans well know, that’s exactly what he did.

An emphasis is placed on how long Lindor took to earn Mets fans’ adoration. Even when he was traded, he had mixed initial feelings. He went on to disappoint in his first year in Queens, and the film showcases what kind of impact that had on both the fans and Lindor personally.

Especially when the boos rained down on him for the first time in his life.

But Lindor signed a 10-year extension, and he slowly but surely grew comfortable in New York. Radio host Evan Roberts notes how the length that it took for Lindor to win Mets fans over makes their bond more special, in a way, now that he’s cemented himself as a Queens icon.

The documentary, of course, takes a look at the Mets’ magical run in 2024 and the role Lindor played in it. It features detailed accounts of his big moments, and the reasoning behind changing his walk-up song to “My Girl.”

“From 0-5 to OMG!” shrieks Gary Cohen, with comments from Lindor, Carlos Mendoza, Steve Cohen and more about the impact Lindor made in last year’s stretch run.

But what’s next for Lindor? The documentary explores his growing legacy, how he might be remembered and what he still hopes to accomplish in a Mets uniform.

It’s a defining account of the player, person, and leader that Lindor is. It tells his story in an engaging way with supporting voices, archive footage, and the spirit of Mets fandom woven throughout.

This is the fourth player MLB Network has spotlighted. It previously released documentaries on Freddie Freeman this past July, Fernando Tatis Jr. in 2021, and Mike Trout in 2017.

The documentary will re-air on Labor Day, Sept. 1, at 8 p.m. ET after its premiere on Aug. 31.