Jorge Castillo, ESPN Staff Writer
NEW YORK — Francisco Lindor wasn't within the New York Mets' lineup for the sixth straight recreation Saturday as he continues to take care of a again harm — and it will not be the final time he misses a recreation in 2024.
Mets supervisor Carlos Mendoza stated the earliest Lindor will return is Tuesday in opposition to the Atlanta Braves, that means he'll additionally miss Sunday's sequence finale in opposition to the Philadelphia Phillies earlier than the membership's off day Monday.
A return Tuesday, nonetheless, is much from assured. Lindor on Friday stated he acquired a side injection in his decrease again Thursday to deal with the ache in hopes of accelerating the therapeutic. Neither Lindor nor the Mets have specified what precisely is ailing Lindor, solely calling it a decrease again harm.
Lindor took batting follow Friday for the primary time since leaving Sunday's recreation in Philadelphia. The session was temporary. He additionally performed catch. He returned to the sphere pregame Saturday for extra batting follow and baseball actions.
“Hopefully it's a little bit more than what he did yesterday,” Mendoza stated. “He's going to try to play catch and run some sprints, take BP and then maybe some ground balls and see what we got after that.”
Mendoza stated the crew just isn't contemplating having Lindor return as a chosen hitter — at the least for now. J.D. Martinez, the crew's on a regular basis DH, is 0 for his final 31 and was given Saturday off.
“We're looking at him being a full player for us because I don't think it's just playing shortstop,” Mendoza stated. “The rotation, running the bases, getting out of the box. And DHing he's going to have to hit and then sit down and somehow he's going to have to try to stay hot. We haven't gotten to that point. But the way we see it is, when he's ready to go, he's playing shortstop for us.”
Lindor, 30, began 147 of the Mets' first 148 video games. He's batting .271 with 31 residence runs, 27 steals and an .836 OPS to go along with elite protection at shortstop. The dependable manufacturing has made him a long-shot NL MVP contender behind heavy favourite Shohei Ohtani.
Mendoza additionally stated it is “safe to say” that right-hander Paul Blackburn, who has been out with a spinal fluid leak in his again, will not return for the common season. Blackburn has begun throwing from 90 toes to start out a development for a possible return, which would not occur till the postseason.
Blackburn, 30, was acquired on the commerce deadline from the Oakland Athletics. He tallied a 5.18 ERA in 5 begins for New York earlier than being shut down.
The Mets entered Saturday two video games forward of the Braves for the ultimate National League wild-card spot.
