Lindor plays Minors game, '100 percent optimistic' he can be ready for Opening Day

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Quietly on Tuesday, more than two weeks in advance of Opening Day, Francisco Lindor took a significant step back toward full health.

Lindor played four defensive innings in a Minor League game against the Cardinals while the Mets topped St. Louis, 6-1, at Clover Park, booting a defensive chance but coming away optimistic about what matters most: his readiness for the Mets’ March 26 opener against the Pirates at Citi Field.

“It felt really good,” Lindor said. “I’m tired. It’s part of the process. It was a good day today.”

Lindor did not hit in the Minor League game, which has more flexible rules than an official Grapefruit League game. While he has been swinging a bat in an indoor cage, Lindor isn’t quite ready to shoulder that load in a game. He hopes to do so soon.

Defensively, Lindor called it a challenge to field balls with less than his usual strength, given that he’s still recovering from Feb. 11 surgery to repair a stress reaction in his left hamate bone.

“But it’s not going to be something where my errors are going to come because of not being as strong in my hands,” Lindor said. “At the end of the day, I can catch the ball. So I’m in a good spot. I can’t complain.”

For Lindor, the game action came one day after president of baseball operations David Stearns spoke optimistically about his chances of being ready for March 26. Stearns’ only caveat was that Lindor must appear in a real game before that point -- a prospect that seems far more realistic now that he’s seen Minor League game action.

“I share his confidence for sure,” Lindor said of Stearns. “Our training staff is really good. They’ve been doing everything possible. … You have all of them working as hard as they can, and they’re getting me right day in and day out. I trust the process.”

Lindor, 32, underwent surgery after experiencing abnormal hand soreness in the early days of camp. It’s a problem that has affected him multiple times in the past, but this year it did not subside on its own. The surgery carried an expected recovery timetable of six weeks, which promised to bring Lindor right up to Opening Day.

While Lindor is still unwilling to commit fully to being ready for the opener, he said he’s “100 percent optimistic” that he can get there. Of greater issue is the shortstop’s ability to play at full strength. When healthy, he’s been one of the league’s most consistent contributors, finishing in the Top 10 in National League MVP voting for four consecutive seasons. Last season, Lindor hit .267/.346/.466 with 31 homers and 31 stolen bases in 160 games, achieving his second 30-30 season in the past three years. He also made his first All-Star Game as a Met.

Lindor has endured multiple injuries over that time, including a relatively major back ailment in September 2024, a broken toe last June and a right elbow issue that required surgery last October. Despite all of it, he has averaged 158 games per season the past four years.

“It’ll be tough to be in a position where I can say I’m going to play 100 percent,” Lindor said. “When we depend on our bodies, there’s been very few guys that can tell you they’re 100 percent. I’m sure there will be some pains here and there, and I’m sure my hand is going to still hurt at times. Everybody I’ve talked to about the hamate bone, they say it still bothers them at times. But ultimately, it comes down to being able to play the game at an elite level. That’s what I’m trying to do. Whatever it takes to help my team win.”