All indications still suggest that New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor is trending toward being ready for Opening Day.
The 32-year-old underwent surgery on February 11 to address a stress reaction in his left hamate bone and has encountered no complications in his recovery. He had his stitches removed last Tuesday and steadily increased his baseball activities as the week progressed, moving closer to full participation.
Over the weekend, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza shared that his star shortstop is “progressing accordingly,” though he stopped short of offering a firm timetable.
“I think we’re still too early, it’s hard to tell right now, especially knowing Lindor,” Mendoza said on Sunday. “This is a guy that I wouldn’t be surprised if he comes in a week before we have to break and he says, ‘Hey, I’m ready to go.”
Up to this stage, Mendoza noted that Lindor has been limited to one-handed swings, long toss, throws to the bases, and maintaining his conditioning. However, the skipper expressed optimism that “in the next few days, he can start just grabbing a bat and start his progression hitting-wise, then fielding as well.”
Carlos Mendoza Gives Update on Francisco Lindor’s Progress
When speaking to reporters Tuesday morning, Mendoza confirmed Lindor has begun advancing to the next phase, which includes playing catch, taking part in defensive drills, and swinging the bat.
“He played catch yesterday and he was able to catch the baseball,” Mendoza said. “He’s going to go through some light defensive drills. So now incorporating more baseball activity. Hopefully he starts swinging a bat… if it’s not today, I’m pretty sure tomorrow he’ll start that.”
Throughout Lindor’s rehab, the Mets have avoided attaching a strict return date. Still, the veteran infielder appears determined to check every box necessary to be ready. From the outset, the expectation has been an Opening Day return, though that confidence has always seemed rooted more in Lindor’s resilience and durability than in a guaranteed clean bill of health.
For context, Baltimore second baseman Jackson Holliday had the same procedure a day earlier and has already been ruled out for Opening Day. While recovery from hamate surgery typically ranges from four to eight weeks, it can take significantly longer for hitters to regain full power. For Holliday and the Orioles, patience with their young infielder makes sense. For the Mets, meanwhile, their cornerstone is doing everything possible to suit up on March 26.
Lindor has built a reputation as one of baseball’s most dependable stars, making at least 150 starts in each of the past four seasons. Even after breaking a toe last year, he missed just one game on June 5 before returning on June 7 to deliver a pivotal two-run double as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning. He ultimately appeared in 160 of 162 games, playing through the injury the rest of the way.
In other words, discomfort alone is unlikely to dictate whether Lindor takes the field on Opening Day. The key factor will be how smoothly he advances through each stage of his rehabilitation, and at this point, that progression continues to move in a positive direction.