Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Francisco Lindor has continued to come up big in high-leverage moments for the Mets this season. After struggling for most of his first year in New York, the shortstop is playing a critical role in the team currently holding a 2.5-game lead in the NL East. With everything that Lindor brings to the table, from his offense to his great leadership skills, who knows where the Mets would be without his resurgence in 2022.

As many of you already know, Lindor did not have the type of season he wished for to begin his time in a new city last season. Even when it looked like he was starting to find his feet in the month of July, an oblique injury put him on the sidelines for over a month. He was much better in the final 30 games of the year, slashing .257/.346/.549 with nine home runs. Still, Lindor finished the 2021 season hitting .230/.322/.412 with a 100 OPS+ and a 103 wRC+ in 524 plate appearances.

It is safe to say that Lindor has proved to be a much different player in his second season with the Mets. He has shown the ability to consistently manufacture runs in a way that was not there for him last year. Through 89 games, Lindor has already eclipsed his RBI (64 to 63) total from a year ago. What he and Pete Alonso have been able to do in the middle of the lineup has helped the Mets get to where they are this far into the season. Lindor is slashing .244/.317/.433 with a 115 wRC+ in 388 plate appearances this season.

Lindor is on pace for 29 home runs and 116 RBIs this season. He’s also the first switch-hitting shortstop in National League history with at least 60 RBIs before the All-Star break.

When the team needed their star shortstop to step up in a big way, he was able to deliver in the critical moments. The 28-year-old had a big series against the Atlanta Braves earlier this week, helping the Mets take two of three on the road against their division rivals. Lindor went 5-for-14 in the three games, including a three-run home run on Wednesday afternoon that broke the game open. “I’m healthier, I’m helping the team more than I did last year. At this point last year, I was probably hitting .190. I’m playing good baseball for the Mets,” Lindor said.

The way Lindor performed in the series against the Braves shows how far the player has come over the last year and a half. The Mets were still able to win the series without two of their most important hitters in Jeff McNeil and Starling Marte, who are both heading to the All-Star game next week. The improved play from Lindor is one of the biggest reasons why the Mets are in this position just days before the All-Star break.