Francisco Lindor Reveals One of The Key Factors in New York Mets' Turnaround

Francisco Lindor shared one factor that has likely been a key in the Mets' turnaround.

Jul 13, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) is greeted in the dugout after hitting a three run home run in the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets started the season with a 22-33 record, but stormed back to finish up the first-half of 2024 at 49-46, now sitting a game up in the National League's third Wild Card spot.

This remarkable turnaround has been led by team leaders' Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo and hitting savant J.D. Martinez. And Lindor recently shared what he thinks has been a key factor in the team's resurgent play in a conversation with FOX News digital.

Lindor and Nimmo, two front-runners to earn the captain's title for the Mets, have made team dinners a mandatory action item on the first night of every road trip, as the shortstop told Scott Thompson of FOX News.

"We don’t really have the time to sit down and talk," Lindor elaborated to Thompson in a discussion centered around Champs Sports’ new brand platform, "Sport For Life." "We sit down as an offense, and we all talk. The pitching staff, they sit down and talk. But it’s rare when we all have the opportunity to sit down and talk and just bounce ideas from one side to another. 

"By creating these team dinners, it’s the only chance we got besides going on the bus all together to a city."

The player dinners have given the club time to talk baseball while also getting to know each other on a personal level as well.

"We sit down for like two hours and talk and laugh and make fun of each other," he added. "Talk about random stuff. It’s the one time that we have, so all about keeping good vibes. All about growing our team chemistry.

"We had an amazing time, and from there, we just continued to become part of what we’re doing on the road."

The Mets played the league's worst baseball until late-May after Jorge Lopez's meltdown changed things for the team. This prompted president of baseball operations David Stearns to release Lopez, designate catcher Omar Narvaez for assignment, and send down struggling third baseman Brett Baty, sending shock waves through the organization.

As a result, Stearns called up veteran infielder and latino pop sensation, Jose Iglesias, who has provided a spark to the Mets on the field and off of it with his new hit single "OMG," which has become a rallying cry. The team also acquired veteran catcher Luis Torrens from the Yankees, who has been a surprise, and superstar backstop Francisco Alvarez returned from the IL in June and is making a major impact.

The Mets' clubhouse has come together in the past two months and they now have a real shot at making the postseason, despite their campaign looking all but lost by late-May. Lindor and Nimmo have helped boost the camaraderie especially after the players only meeting they held following Lopez's incident. This looks like a new ball club, and the team dinners have been a noticeable key in their turnaround.