Panic struck almost instantly when Francisco Lindor, the star of the New York Mets, was forced to leave Sunday’s game. Without their MVP candidate and best player, it’s difficult to see the team having much of a chance to make the postseason, much less go far.
The gifted infielder complained of back pain on Monday, and an MRI was ordered in the region. The imaging results are back, and there’s excellent news to share.
After receiving a clear report from his MRI, Lindor told SNY that he would miss “3-5 days, or 2-3, depending on how my back reacts.”
The Mets should celebrate this like a victory, given the plethora of horrible outcomes that this could have been. The player is essentially day-to-day and may be dealing with a persistent back problem or a bulging disk, but there is nothing serious to report.
The Mets need Lindor back on the field ASAP, but they also probably don’t want to put too much strain on his back. He will most likely sit out one or two games before everyone sees how things have progressed.
The Mets need any edge they can get as they are currently tied with the Atlanta Braves for the third and final Wild Card place in the National League. Evidently, one of them is having Lindor at shortstop, but they also need to be astute.
On Monday, they will play the first game of a three-game home series against the Washington Nationals. The Mets may be able to rest Lindor for a few games and still be competitive because the Nats aren’t the best team. However, since the Braves intend to finish the race, they do need to win.
It is hoped that he can get over this back issue as soon as possible and return to the starting lineup by the middle or end of the week, depending on how he progresses.
