Francisco Lindor may be back sooner than expected.
The Mets shortstop had surgery to repair a stress reaction of the hamate bone in his left wrist two weeks ago, and has yet to do any on-field work. That said, he’s targeting Opening Day to return.
On Wednesday, New York manager Carlos Mendoza said the five-time All-Star is only days away from being cleared to do “impact” activities. Lindor has yet to swing a bat or field grounders since the surgery, but he has been around the team and involved at spring training.
Since the surgery, the Mets had been targeting a six-week recovery, which would put Lindor back on the field by Opening Day.
Over the past two seasons, Lindor has been the most consistent presence in the Mets’ lineup. Since the start of the 2024 season, he has played in 312 games and slashed .270/.345/.483, with 64 home runs, 177 RBIs, 60 stolen bases, and 224 runs scored. He has posted a wRC+ of 133, and his 14.0 fWAR ranks sixth in baseball. He has finished in the top 10 in NL MVP voting in each of the past four seasons.
The Mets lost Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo this offseason, which will cost them some oomph in their lineup. New York added Bo Bichette, Marcus Semien, Luis Robert Jr., and Jorge Polanco. It remains to be seen if the new additions will make up for the losses, as Semien and Robert have been on downward trajectories the past two seasons.
Lindor and Juan Soto will need to be healthy to help push the Mets to another level after they shockingly missed the postseason in 2025.
What is the hamate bone?
The hamate bone is a small bone on the pinky side of the wrist that features a hook, referred to as the “hook of the hamate,” that sticks out toward the palm. Its shape makes it susceptible to fractures due to direct impact or repetitive stress. Hamate fractures are relatively common in baseball due to the use of bats.
Lindor isn’t the only big-name MLB player to be sidelined by a hamate injury this spring. Diamondbacks All-Star Corbin Carroll and Orioles young star Jackson Holliday are also recovering from hamate surgery.
Recovery from hamate surgery can span anywhere from four to eight weeks depending on the severity.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Mets Get Encouraging Update on Francisco Lindor.
