New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor underwent surgery on his left hamate bone on Feb. 11 and was expected to miss six-to-eight weeks.
New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor made huge strides in his recovery on Tuesday and has complete optimism that he will be ready for Opening Day on March 26.
Lindor underwent surgery on a stress reaction in his left hamate bone on Feb. 11, the early days of spring training camp, after feeling soreness and discomfort. He saw a hand specialist, and it was decided that the best course of action was to get the surgery, which has a typical recovery timeline of six-to-eight weeks.
March 26 would mark six weeks from the day of Lindor’s surgery and despite concerns that he won’t fully be healthy by then, Lindor quietly participated in a minor league game on Tuesday.
Lindor played just four defensive innings and didn’t hit, but the fact that he was out there at all is an uplifting sign for him, the Mets and its fan base.
“It felt really good,” Lindor said following the 6-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. “I’m tired. It’s part of the process. It was a good day today.”
Lindor did commit an error during the game and noted that it was challenging to field groundballs while not being at full strength, but he was encouraged that he was healthy enough to play a little bit and wasn’t worried about booting a defensive chance.
“But it’s not going to be something where my errors are going to come because of not being as strong in my hands,” Lindor said. “At the end of the day, I can catch the ball. So I’m in a good spot. I can’t complain.”
President of Baseball Operations David Stearns voiced his confidence about Lindor being ready for Opening Day, shared by Lindor, but wants him to play in a real game before March 26. Although that could happen in the coming weeks leading up to March 26, Lindor may not be his normal self in the batter’s box.
The problem with hamate bone injuries is that it heavily impacts your grip strength and power, two things that are incredibly important. While players are often “healthy” after the six-to-eight weeks, they typically need extra time to regain that strength to be comfortable in the box.
Lindor knows this too, which is why he can’t fully commit to being “100 percent” for Opening Day.
“It’ll be tough to be in a position where I can say I’m going to play 100 percent,” Lindor said. “When we depend on our bodies, there’s been very few guys that can tell you they’re 100 percent. I’m sure there will be some pains here and there, and I’m sure my hand is going to still hurt at times.
“Everybody I’ve talked to about the hamate bone, they say it still bothers them at times. But ultimately, it comes down to being able to play the game at an elite level. That’s what I’m trying to do. Whatever it takes to help my team win."
It would probably be in New York’s best interest to have Lindor use the extra two weeks to heal more. Third baseman Bo Bichette can slide back to his natural position for a couple of weeks and utilityman Brett Baty can play third. If Lindor comes back prematurely and hurts himself more, the Mets could be in trouble.
Regardless of how they handle the situation, seeing Lindor play in some capacity two weeks ahead of Opening Day is nice to see.