NEW YORK -- On the night when the Mets took Juan Soto off the injured list, and when the team ended a 12-game losing streak, they may have lost shortstop Francisco Lindor to what was announced as left calf tightness.
The injury occurred in the fourth inning of New York's 3-2 win over the Twins on Wednesday at Citi Field. After Francisco Alvarez doubled to right-center field against Twins left-hander Connor Prielipp, Lindor struggled running around the bases, but he managed to score New York’s second run of the game. Lindor gingerly got off the ground, went into the dugout and did not return for the top of the fifth.
Lindor was replaced in the lineup by Brett Baty, who played third base, while Bo Bichette made the switch from third to shortstop, the position he has played most of his career.
Lindor went 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored in the game. The injury came when his bat was starting to percolate. In his last seven games, Lindor was 9-for-25 (.360) with two homers and five RBIs.
“When somebody leaves the game, it’s tough,” teammate Clay Holmes said. “I haven’t seen him. I’m not sure what tomorrow will look like. No matter who it is leaving the game, you feel for your teammate.”
The way manager Carlos Mendoza was talking, it sounds as if Lindor is going on the injured list. The skipper mentioned that Soto missed almost three weeks with a similar injury.
“[Lindor] is going to get an MRI tomorrow and see what we are dealing with,” said Mendoza. “It sucks and when you see a guy like Lindor, as tough as he is, I knew right away. He was rounding third base and I knew something wasn’t right. We’ll see what we have.”