NEW YORK (AP) — All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor was put on a the 10-day injured list by the New York Mets on Thursday, a day after straining his left calf, and manager Carlos Mendoza said “he’s going to be down for quite a bit here."
Lindor was hurt Wednesday when the Mets beat Minnesota 3-2 and stopped a 12-game losing streak, their longest since 2002. Left fielder Juan Soto returned from a strained right calf that had sidelined him since April 3 and went 1 for 3 with a walk. Soto had missed 15 games.
Lindor labored around the bases while scoring from first on Francisco Alvarez’s one-out double. An MRI Thursday determined the stain was more severe than Soto's.
“We knew right away with Juan that it was kind of the best-case scenario. He was going to be on the short side of things,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “I don’t think we’re dealing with the same thing here.”
“One of those things where you start running and you know that your body’s not 100%” Lindor said. “Once I passed third base, I felt something. And after that, I knew that I’ve got something in my lower leg.”
Lindor grimaced as he rounded third and paused for a moment. He beat the relay throw with a feet-first slide.
“I was in pain,” Lindor said. “But you’ve got to score.”
Asked if he thought he would return this season, Lindor said “100%” and repeated it for emphasis.
“This kills me, not being on the field but I trust the trainers and I know they have good care here,” Lindor said. “I’ll be back I’ll be back. Hopefully sooner rather than later.”
This is just the third big league IL stint for Lindor, who missed the first 19 games of the 2019 season with Cleveland due to a right calf strain. He was sidelined 36 games in 2021, his first season with the Mets — due to a right oblique strain.
Lindor had elbow surgery following last season and missed most of spring training after surgery on his left hamate bone.
Bo Bichette moved to shortstop from third base for Thursday's series finale against the Twins. The Mets recalled Ronny Mauricio from Triple-A Syracuse to take Lindor’s roster spot and plan to give him regular playing time at shortstop while Bichette continues to get used to playing third.
Mauricio, a longtime prospect who has struggled to reignite his career after missing the 2024 season with a knee injury, hit five homers in his last five games for Syracuse, including three on Tuesday.