Andres Chavez
The crack of the bat is one of baseball’s most iconic sounds, but for New York Mets fans, the silence surrounding Francisco Lindor this spring has been a bit deafening.
If you’ve tuned into Grapefruit League action lately and noticed a distinct lack of the star shortstop, don’t panic. There is a very specific reason he’s been sidelined: a surgical procedure performed on February 11 to repair a stress reaction in his left hamate bone.
The Delicate Nature of the Hamate
To the uninitiated, the hamate bone might sound like a minor piece of anatomy, but in the world of professional baseball, it is a high-stakes pivot point. Located in the wrist, this small, hook-shaped bone is essentially the foundation for a player’s grip and swing leverage. When it’s compromised, the loss of power is immediate.
Think of it like a high-performance sports car with a tiny but essential hairline fracture in its steering column; you might still be able to drive it, but you certainly can’t take corners at a hundred miles per hour.
The Mets have a very recent, cautionary tale regarding this specific injury. Last year, catcher Francisco Alvarez underwent a similar surgery and was perhaps rushed back into the lineup before he was truly ready. The result was a frustrating slump that eventually led to a demotion. It was only after he rediscovered his rhythm in Triple-A that he looked like himself again. Lindor, however, is navigating a different path.
A Measured Path to Opening Day
While the team is being careful, the timeline for Lindor is much more aggressive than a typical minor league rehab stint. He isn’t expected to miss regular-season time. Instead, the goal is a direct flight to the Opening Day roster. The recovery has moved in distinct, calculated phases.
Just ten days after the February 11 surgery, Lindor was already shedding the heavy protective wraps. By March 2, he was back to playing catch, and more recently, he’s been surfacing on the minor league backfields to test his lateral movement and defensive glove work.
This week marked a significant milestone in that journey. Mets insider Anthony DiComo reported on X that the shortstop is inching toward full batting practice on the field.
“Francisco Lindor is getting close to taking full BP on the field. In addition to his defensive work in minor league games, Lindor had a BP session with normal, two-handed swings inside the batting cage on Tuesday. He remains right on schedule to be ready for Opening Day,” DiComo noted.
The Final Hurdles
Until now, the rehab has been largely one-dimensional, focusing on the leather rather than the wood. Taking two-handed swings in a cage is the bridge between being a defensive specialist and a two-way threat.
The next logical leap is live batting practice on the field, where he can track pitches and fully let loose with his swing. If he clears that hurdle, he’ll likely squeeze in a few Grapefruit League appearances or simulated games to fine-tune his timing.
The urgency here is understandable. Players with Lindor’s specific blend of leadership and elite production are rare finds. He is coming off a massive 2025 campaign where he joined the 30-30 club with 31 home runs and 31 steals, while crossing the plate 117 times. With a 129 wRC+, he is the engine of the Mets’ offense. Having him at 100 percent when they face the Pirates on March 26 isn’t just a preference; it’s a necessity for a team with postseason aspirations.
It probably won’t happen right away, given the nature of the injury, but the sooner, the better.
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