Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor seems to be channeling the unseen recycled energy of Yoenis Cespesdes. He has been carrying the Mets’ offense since the All-Star break, with 10 homers and 26 RBI at the start of this week, and 27 home runs and 78 RBI overall when MLB’s Tuesday slate of games began.
It was in 2015 when the former Mets outfielder was otherworldly after the team acquired him in a deal with the Detroit Tigers, minutes before the July 31 trade deadline passed.
Cespedes electrified the Mets fan base and charged the franchise as it won its first NL East title in nine years and first pennant since 2000. It was Cespedes’s MVP-like performance over the 57 regular season games he played for the Mets that season — 17 homers and superlative if not spectacular defense — that fans fondly remember.
While the possibility of the Mets catching the NL East pace-setting Philadelphia Phillies for the division title this year are remote, it’s possible that they could pass the Atlanta Braves, which as of yesterday were sitting second in the NL East and in the third wild card spot. The Mets were 68-63 and third in the NL East when they began a three-game road series against the sizzling Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday.
The Diamondbacks were 75-56, had won six in a row, and led the wild card hunt. The Phillies were 77-54 and nine games above New York. The Braves were 71-60 and three games ahead of the Mets in the wild card chase. Lindor has been trying to change that.
On Saturday, in a 7-1 road victory over the San Diego Padres (another team the Mets are pursuing as the Padres were clutching the No. 2 wild card position on Tuesday), Lindor hit two homers, one from each side of the plate, including a fourth-inning grand slam.
“It feels pretty cool to hit home runs from each side, for sure,” said Lindor. “It’s one of those where as you run the bases, it’s like, ‘Wow, my swing is good. I’m aligning pretty good.’”
Lindor has been one of baseball’s most consistent hitters since Mets manager Carlos Mendoza moved him to the leadoff spot on May 18.
After the Padres, the Mets will meet the White Sox in Chicago for three games tomorrow through Sunday and then play the Boston Red Sox at Citi Field for three games from Monday through Wednesday.