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Francisco Lindor’s Return Stalls as Defensive Errors and Slump Persist

Manager Andy Green continues to back Lindor while the Mets watch rehabbing players for midseason returns that could shore up the roster.

Overview

  • Lindor missed most of spring training for hamate surgery and then left the lineup with a strained left calf, a layoff that lasted about two months.
  • He returned to the Mets’ lineup on June 24 and has since produced weak offense, going 12-for-74 (.162) in an 18-game sample reported by coverage, and his season average has dropped to near career lows.
  • Defensive miscues have intensified since his return, including three straight games with an error that culminated in a 0-for-4 performance and an error-filled 6-1 loss to the Phillies on July 18.
  • The team committed three errors in that game and reached 69 errors on the season, the second-most in MLB, prompting Green to call the play 'sloppy' while still expressing confidence in Lindor.
  • The Mets are tracking potential reinforcements as rehabs progress for reliever Clay Holmes and outfielder Luis Robert Jr., and the club faces the Aug. 3 trade deadline as it weighs short-term fixes and Lindor’s chances to recover this season.