Inside The Mets

Why Mets shouldn’t worry about Francisco Lindor’s quiet spring

Mets superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor posted a .523 OPS in spring training, but there is no reason to panic.

John Sparaco

Mar 7, 2025; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) signals during his at bat against the Washington Nationals during the third inning at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Mar 7, 2025; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) signals during his at bat against the Washington Nationals during the third inning at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
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New York Mets fans flocked to Port St. Lucie this spring to witness the start of the Juan Soto era, with a record-breaking combined attendance of 106,027 at Clover Park. While Soto impressed with a 1.049 OPS in 16 games, his superstar teammate, Francisco Lindor, was relatively quiet.

Over the course of 19 spring training games, Lindor posted a .200/.273/.250 (.523 OPS) line, with no home runs, five RBIs, and 10 strikeouts in 60 at-bats. Despite the underwhelming results, there is little reason for concern regarding the four-time All-Star shortstop as he heads into his age-31 season.

Last spring, Lindor struggled even more, batting just .145/.197/.236 (.433 OPS) with one home run, five RBIs, and eight strikeouts in the same number of Grapefruit League games. Despite carrying those struggles into the early part of the regular season, he finished with a .273/.344/.500 (.844 OPS) line, 33 home runs, and 91 RBIs. He also placed second in the 2024 NL MVP race behind Shohei Ohtani.

In a recent MLB Network segment, former All-Star reliever-turned-analyst Dan Plesac predicted a similar turnaround for Lindor in 2025.

"I know last year he got off to a little bit of a slow start. He was the most valuable player for the Mets on a really good team that made it to the postseason," Plesac said. "Look at that spring training .145 [batting average]. I'm not too concerned about that with the home runs. I think he's one of those guys, he’s going to get ready on Thursday. Expect him to have another big year."

Lindor has a history of slow starts, but he typically heats up as the season progresses. In 180 career games played in March and April, he has hit .245/.326/.427 (.753 OPS), with 29 home runs and 92 RBIs. Here is a breakdown of his performance in other months:

  • May: .273/.342/.469 (.811 OPS) with 40 homers and 131 RBIs (994 plate appearances)
  • June: .251/.313/.452 (.765 OPS) with 38 homers and 108 RBIs (974 plate appearances)
  • July: .301/.369/.517 (.886 OPS) with 44 homers and 139 RBIs (991 plate appearances)
  • August: .300/.354/.475 (.829 OPS) with 39 homers and 128 RBIs (1,159 plate appearances)
  • Sept/Oct: .266/.341/.503 (.844 OPS) with 58 homers and 172 RBIs (1,192 plate appearances)

Lindor's 2024 turnaround began after manager Carlos Mendoza moved him to the leadoff spot on May 18. Prior to that, he had struggled with a .190/.265/.352 slash line. 

Following the change, Lindor hit .304/.374/.554 with a 160 wRC+ the rest of the season. Had it not been for a late-season back injury, Lindor likely would have posted his second consecutive 30/30/30 campaign, falling just one stolen base short of the milestone.

His leadership, both on the field and in the clubhouse, was instrumental in helping the Mets recover from a 22-33 start and ultimately reach the NLCS. Lindor posted an .877 OPS in 13 postseason games, but the Mets fell short against the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 6 of the NLCS.

Read More: Francisco Lindor’s 8-word assessment of Luisangel Acuña’s mindset raises eyebrows

Now, with Soto’s addition and Pete Alonso’s return, Lindor will be expected to set the table for two of the game's most dangerous sluggers. If all three perform at their usual level, the Mets' lineup could be one of the most potent in baseball this season.

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John Sparaco
JOHN SPARACO

John Sparaco is a contributing writer for the Mets website On SI. He has previously written for Cold Front Report, Times Union and JKR Baseball, where he profiled some of the top recruits, college players and draft prospects in baseball. You can follow him on Twitter/X: @JohnSparaco

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