Many assumed the New York Mets would name star shortstop Francisco Lindor the franchise's fifth team captain in history.
New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor is ready to move on when it comes to the Mets having a team captain.
Owner Steve Cohen was annoyed about several things a few days ago and took time to address the media regarding his frustrations. The frustrations included not winning a championship and having a team captain, a title that only four players have officially held in Mets history.
“As long as I’m owning the team, there will never be a team captain,” Cohen said Monday. “That was my decision. My view is the locker room is unique. Let the locker room sort it out year in, year out.
“My view is every year the team's different and let the team kind of figure it out in the locker room without having the designation.”
Cohen went on to say that having a captain in baseball is unusual and however the previous ownership group handled things was their way of doing things. Cohen’s way is different.
The last captain of the Mets was third baseman David Wright, who served in the role from 2013 to 2018. Lindor was expected to be the next captain because of his leadership qualities, but it appears that won’t happen anytime soon.
Lindor spoke about the situation, admitting that he’s over it and ready to focus on winning.
“I respect it,” the five-time All-Star said Thursday. “This is definitely a Steve, front-office type decision. At the end of the day, being named captain or not, I’m still going to act the same. This isn't something that will make me different. I’m glad he put everything to bed, so that way we can stop talking about this. And move on.”
There’s no love lost between Lindor and Cohen regarding his decision. He’s on board with the decision and wants to just play winning baseball. Lindor, who is recovering from left hamate bone surgery, noted that there are leaders within the clubhouse and that the title doesn’t change that.
The 32-year-old is expected to be out for six weeks but should be ready for Opening Day. Although he will be healed by then, barring any setbacks in his rehab, there are concerns that Lindor won’t be his normal self upon his return.
Hamate bone injuries make it extremely difficult to grip the bat and often lead to a decrease in power. Many players take longer than the six-to-eight-week recovery period to fully heal and play to their standards, so New York should prioritize Lindor’s long-term health rather than rush him back before he’s truly healthy.