Inside The Mets

Mets Superstar's MVP Hopes Dealt Brutal Blow

Thursday was not an ideal day for Francisco Lindor's NL MVP case.

Grant Young

Sep 17, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) watches from the dugout during the sixth inning against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Sep 17, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) watches from the dugout during the sixth inning against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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Heading into Thursday, the consensus top two players for the NL MVP award race were New York Mets superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor and Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Shohei Ohtani.

Lindor wasn't available to play during New York's 10-6 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday due to a lingering back injury.

Ohtani, on the other hand, produced one of the most spectacular single-game performances in MLB history on Thursday.

Not only did Ohtani become the first ever player to join MLB's 50/50 club (50 home runs and 50 stolen bases) during the Dodgers' 20-4 rout of the Miami Marlins, but he went 6-6 in the game with 3 home runs, 4 runs scored and a whopping 10 RBIs.

Ohtani was already a big favorite to win MVP over Lindor. But a September 19 article from Bleacher Report's Zachery D. Rymer suggests that Ohtani's Thursday performance was the nail in the coffin for Lindor's hopes to secure the award.

"Does Ohtani Have the NL MVP Locked Up?" Rymer rhetorically asked.

"Yes. Next question."

He then added, "New York Mets fans gesturing in Francisco Lindor's direction have a case. He is leading Ohtani in fWAR, and both his offense (31 HR, 27 SB) and defense (17 OAA) have been crucial for a surprising Mets squad.

"Yet at -2500, the DraftKings odds overwhelmingly favor Ohtani for the National League MVP. It's ultimately hard to argue against a 50-50 player, least of all one who also leads the NL in runs, runs batted in, total bases and OPS," Rymer said.

While Lindor has had a spectacular season, even Mets fans have to tip their cap to what Ohtani has done this season.

Perhaps Lindor and his Mets will get the last laugh against Ohtani and Los Angeles if the two teams face off in the playoffs.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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