Francisco Lindor is the high-performance engine that makes this entire Mets machine hum. When news broke Wednesday that he is undergoing surgery for a stress reaction in his left hamate bone, the collective groan from the faithful in Port St. Lucie was audible. Manager Carlos Mendoza is projecting optimism, but I’ve spent enough time around this game to know that “six weeks” is often the best-case scenario for a return to play—not necessarily a return to form.
We saw this exact movie last year with Francisco Alvarez, who fractured his hamate on March 8 and returned April 25. While the surgical success rate is nearly perfect—essentially removing a vestigial “hook” of bone—the immediate aftermath is a minefield for power hitters. I’m convinced that the “grip strength” issue is the real ghost in the machine here.
Still, the specialists say there is some optimism.
Deepak Chona, MD, explained to SNY: “The hamate is a bone of the wrist that has a small hook on it. The hook is a weak point, susceptible to fracture from either getting hit directly or from repetitive stress. In Lindor’s case, it’s a stress injury, which means it’s likely been developing for some time from the repetitive motion of the bat against that portion of his hand.” Chona noted that while success rates are high, the performance outlook varies.
The Power Vacuum
Dr. Chona also mentioned that Lindor’s six-week timeline is “likely very realistic,” but he warned that the performance outlook upon return projects a delay in power. “The amount of time varies,” Chona said about the power concerns, “but generally projects to six weeks after returning.” This mirrors the Alvarez experience, where his slash line plummeted to .235/.326/.296 in his first 24 games back.
The vibration of 98-mph wood-on-ball feels like a lightning bolt in that wrist for the first month back. Lindor might be at shortstop on Opening Day against the Pirates at Citi Field, but don’t expect him to be clearing the fences in the first few games.
The Counter-Intuitive Reality
Mets should temper expectations with Lindor at least until mid-April. We saw Alvarez struggle so mightily post-surgery in 2025 that he earned a mid-summer demotion to reset. If Lindor rushes back just to “be there” for the introductions, he risks a month of sub-.200 hitting that digs a hole for both his confidence and the team’s record.
There is a chance Lindor struggles a bit in the early going because the injury involves more than just the hamate bone: it also requires the muscles around the area to be strong. In the end, however, he should be alright relatively soon, which is what Mets fans want to hear with so much at stake this year.
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