PHILADELPHIA — Luisangel Acuna jogged out to shortstop for the underside of the second inning Sunday, sounding no matter alarm bells hadn’t already rung a day earlier when Francisco Lindor missed his first recreation of the season.
Lindor had willed himself into the beginning lineup, nevertheless it was clear from his single to left area main off the sport, throughout which he was sluggish operating to first base, that his decrease again was nonetheless hurting. Lindor’s throw to first base on Trea Turner’s grounder within the backside of the primary was excessive, one other signal that one thing was amiss.
Simply in case any clarification was wanted after Lindor exited, a Mets official introduced that the shortstop had departed with again discomfort. Lindor later mentioned he’ll obtain an MRI examination on Monday, earlier than the Mets start a brand new homestand that options the Nationals and Phillies, the latter of which gained 2-1 within the rubber recreation of this collection at Residents Financial institution Park on J.T. Realmuto’s walk-off single within the ninth towards Edwin Diaz.
So now it’s again to questioning when the Mets’ MVP candidate shortstop may return. Pity the Mets when you should as they try to safe a Nationwide League wild card with their finest participant’s standing in query, however that is no time for crying.
Both Lindor can play or he can’t, and the Mets should alter accordingly.
“There’s a delicate balance where guys play banged up all the time,” Pete Alonso mentioned. “But there is a difference between playing hurt and playing injured. If you play hurt you can grind through some stuff and still be able to perform admirably at times. If you are playing injured, that’s not good. That’s not sustainable.”
Lindor certain appears to be like injured, however possibly the MRI will inform a distinct story that permits the shortstop to simply relaxation for just a few days earlier than resuming. If there’s a stretch of the schedule that possibly the Mets gained’t miss him an excessive amount of, it’s these subsequent three video games towards the Nationals. However then it will get actual once more for the Mets.
You understand who isn’t feeling badly for the Mets?
The Braves.
It’s these Braves — minus Ronald Acuna Jr., Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies amongst others — that started the day tied with the Mets for the NL’s third wild card. It’s these Braves who nonetheless have three video games remaining towards the Mets in Atlanta subsequent week that might very nicely determine which of the 2 groups will play October baseball.
The season goes to proceed for the Mets no matter Lindor’s standing. Nevertheless it’s going to take higher than what we noticed from the workforce during the last two days for a champagne celebration to happen by the tip of the common season.
Lindor isn’t the entire workforce, and but it appears that evidently means when gamers corresponding to Alonso, Brandon Nimmo and J.D. Martinez, particularly, aren’t producing. On Sunday that group mixed for 3 singles, with Tyrone Taylor’s house run within the eighth inning accounting for the one Mets run.
“When [Lindor] is not in the lineup you see it,” supervisor Carlos Mendoza mentioned. “But then you still have got a good lineup, we have got a lot of good players. They are going to step up, we have done it the whole year — offensively, defensively, pitching-wise — and I am pretty sure that is going to be the case here if he’s not in the lineup.”
Martinez hit two balls that just about left the park — after Cal Stevenson reached over the center-field fence a day earlier to rob him of a homer — however isn’t getting outcomes. It’s been a tough 30 video games or so for the veteran DH, who’s hitting .190 over that stretch.
Nimmo hit a three-run homer on Friday, however any hope he’s been jump-started is likely to be untimely. Alonso homered towards a place participant, Kody Clemens, throughout a runaway on Friday, however in any other case was invisible through the collection.
It’s one factor attempting to win with out Lindor together with your finest different gamers acting at a good degree. It’s fairly one other when there’s no person to select up the slack.
The Mets will root laborious for a positive MRI on Lindor’s again, however both means, there are 13 video games to be performed and a postseason berth hanging within the stability.
If inspiration is required, look to the enemy Braves.
