Despite the New York Mets‘ 2023 season beginning to wind down with the playoffs seemingly out of reach, there is still superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor to reach a massive goal.
On Thursday night, Lindor stole his career-high-tying 25th stolen base before following that up on Friday night, when the Puerto Rico native hit his 25th home run of the season. This feat makes him the fifth Met in team history and the first since Carlos Beltran in 2008 to join the 25-25 club. While this is quite an impressive feat, Lindor wants more.
Francisco Lindor wants to join the 30-30 club
“I want it,” Lindor said before Friday’s 8-7 loss to the Mariners. “Pray for me. Put good vibes for me out to the world.”
The 30-30 club is within reach, as the Mets have 25 games to go. But reaching such a feat will not be easy.
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Is Lindor’s goal realistic?
According to MLB.com, hitting 30 home runs and stealing 30 bases in a single season is a task that is approximately four times rarer than hitting 40 homers, more than seven times rarer than a no-hitter, and roughly eight times rarer than hitting for a cycle.
The 29-year-old joining the club is not that improbable as Lindor has hit more than 30 home runs in a season three times, including 38 in 2018.
While Lindor has yet to steal more than 25 bases in a campaign, the Puerto Rico native worked extensively with Wayne Kirby this offseason to exploit MLB’s new rules that limit pickoff throws to give himself a greater advantage.
That training has worked as Lindor’s stolen base percentage is up 20% from last season’s 73%, and he has only been caught stealing twice, which is tied for the lowest total in his career.
Lindor could enter elite company with the Mets
If Lindor accomplishes the feat, he will become just the 44th player in Major League history to join the club and the fourth Met joining Darryl Strawberry, David Wright, and Howard Johnson.
Hopefully, the Flushing Faithful Lindor’s pursuit of the 30-30 club, alongside Pete Alonso’s chase to lead the Majors in home runs, will provide for some entertaining baseball as the weather begins to change.