MILWAUKEE — Two weeks in the past there was nonetheless a drumbeat, and maybe a reliable one, for Francisco Lindor to win the Nationwide League’s Most Precious Participant award.
Within the days which have since handed, Shohei Ohtani accomplished what appeared inevitable, turning into the primary participant in main league historical past to succeed in 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in the identical season.
Lindor, in the meantime, stopped enjoying. Actually.
There isn’t any doubt who will declare the MVP, however Lindor’s decrease again has at the very least returned to the purpose he was prepared to check it Wednesday, because the Mets shortstop and leadoff hitter. However the rain by no means stopped in Atlanta, and the Mets skipped city forward of Hurricane Helene.
Right here in America’s dairyland, they have been good sufficient to construct a ballpark with a retractable roof, so climate — and the forecast is okay anyway — gained’t be an element this weekend, when the Mets resume their pursuit of a wild-card berth with three video games towards a crew with nothing to achieve.
The Brewers are locked into the NL’s No. 3 seed, which means it’s already identified they are going to be enjoying within the wild-card spherical starting Tuesday. For the Brewers, this weekend is about getting the pitching workers so as and guaranteeing gamers are receiving the appropriate mixture of labor and relaxation.
However the Mets, beneath supervisor Carlos Mendoza, are good sufficient to appreciate these video games gained’t be layups. And the return of their greatest participant can solely assist.
Lindor can’t win the MVP, however possibly he can carry the Mets into the playoffs simply by displaying up and resuming because the participant who has meant a lot to this lineup. Win three video games — or possibly solely two — towards the Brewers, and there’s an opportunity the Mets gained’t want a return to Atlanta on Monday to play a make-up doubleheader.
Lindor’s season has been probably the greatest in Mets historical past, however legacies are constructed on performances in large video games. These subsequent three or 4 or 5 — regardless of the Mets find yourself enjoying — definitely fall into that class, after which comes the postseason.
Over the previous two seasons for positive, Lindor has erased any questions concerning the mammoth contract he acquired. As a lot as any one that wears a baseball uniform for a residing, Lindor is definitely worth the $341 million. If he’s not the sport’s greatest shortstop, he’s there within the dialog.
However the place is the Lindor second that ought to be splashed on the enormous display screen at Citi Subject with Gary Cohen’s enthusiastic voice because the soundtrack? Don’t assume too arduous, as a result of it hasn’t occurred but.
The Mets gained 101 video games two years in the past, however to many Mets followers that season is recalled extra for getting swept three video games in Atlanta to lose the NL East crown earlier than falling to the Padres within the NL wild-card spherical. Lindor wasn’t a lot of a consider both collection.
Final season was a catastrophe for the Mets, however Lindor saved enjoying till the top — even with a bone spur in his elbow — and was the crew’s greatest participant. However this would possibly as nicely have been David Wright carrying the Mets throughout among the group’s lean years.
The final time Lindor performed a full recreation, he broke up Bowden Francis’ no-hitter with a homer main off the ninth inning in Toronto. The Mets rallied to win the sport and have been on a terrific roll since, even with Lindor as a spectator.
However you possibly can’t assist however surprise how significantly better it may need been with Lindor on the sector — particularly in Philadelphia, the place the Mets misplaced the collection with Lindor sidelined for many of the ultimate two video games. There was a flat efficiency by the Mets within the one recreation they managed to play in Atlanta this week. That recreation ended with Lindor within the on-deck circle ready to pinch hit within the ninth inning.
Solely Lindor actually is aware of how a lot his decrease again has improved and if he’s able to once more turning into the MVP candidate he was till about two weeks in the past.
If the Mets are fortunate, Lindor is healed sufficient to make this weekend in Milwaukee — and no matter would possibly observe — his signature video games with the crew.
