PHILADELPHIA -- Early Saturday evening, Francisco Lindor stood in front of a press conference screen in the visiting clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park, answering for his mistakes. Lindor had not only committed an error for a third consecutive game, but he had gone nine straight plate appearances without reaching base. He was, in many ways, unrecognizable from the player who had finished Top 10 in National League MVP voting four years in a row.
About 22 hours later, Lindor stood in the exact same spot in front of the exact same screen, breaking down his best game of the season: a 3-for-3 effort with a home run and three RBIs in a 6-1 win over the Phillies.
If baseball is a sport of redemption, Lindor had become a walking example of it.
“He was awesome today,” Mets interim manager Andy Green said. “He was Francisco Lindor. That’s who we want him to be.”
Rather than dwell on his string of defensive errors, Lindor clubbed a two-run homer off Alan Rangel before ever slipping a glove onto his left hand. An inning later, in the second, Lindor ripped an RBI single to right field, before walking in both his third and fourth plate appearances. Finally, in the eighth inning, Lindor boomed a double off the base of the center-field fence to finish a triple shy of the cycle.
It was Lindor’s first three-hit game of the season, raising his batting average 15 points in a single afternoon. It also marked the fifth time in Lindor’s career he reached base safely five times in a game, and the fourth time he did so without making an out.
“It felt good to contribute,” Lindor said. “It felt good to be part of the team and help the team win. Overall, a good day for me. Learn from it and turn the page and focus on who we have tomorrow.”
For Lindor, Sunday’s performance could wind up being a rare jewel in an otherwise lost season that’s seen him battle multiple significant injuries while watching the Mets produce one of the league’s worst records. Or it could become a bona fide turning point. Now nine months removed from elbow surgery, five months removed from hamate surgery and three months removed from a badly strained right calf, Lindor is in the midst of his first long, healthy runway to showcase his form.
It didn’t begin well. But over the past couple weeks, Lindor has worked regularly with hitting coaches Jeff Albert, Troy Snitker and Rafael Fernandez, who have sent him videos and offered advice on changes he could make. Before games, Lindor has worked with bench coach Kai Correa and third-base coach Tim Leiper on slowing down his defensive clock. He believes things are getting better.
Asked how comfortable he feels that he will end the season looking like the player he’s been throughout his career, Lindor responded: “Extremely comfortable.”
“There’s no other option,” Lindor said. “I have to play to a higher standard. I have to play to a level that the organization wants me, and I have to play to a level that I expect myself to be at.”
In the eyes of Green, Lindor’s greatest asset is also a source of weakness: how much he cares.
“At times, you just don’t want to make a mistake because so many people count on you,” Green said. “I think it’s great to go play with some joy and just go enjoy baseball. Because when he does that, the good version of him is so fun to watch.”
Before Sunday’s game, Green called Lindor into his office for a chat. Though the manager did not wish to reveal the nature of their discussion, brushing it aside as routine business, he understands as well as anyone how important to this team Lindor can be.
“Oh gosh, we know who he is,” Green said. “He has a long track record of being really, really good.”