Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor was sidelined on Thursday after X-rays confirmed he has a broken pinkie toe on his right foot. The injury occurred when a slider from Tony Gonsolin struck his foot, but Lindor managed to play through the discomfort in the previous game. He expressed that the injury is primarily a matter of pain tolerance and emphasized he would be assessed daily.
“It hurts,” Lindor stated, noting that wearing shoes exacerbates the pain. Despite his absence from the starting lineup, he hasn’t completely ruled out the possibility of making a pinch-hit appearance if needed.
Luisangel Acuna filled in for Lindor at shortstop during Thursday’s game against the Dodgers. As for whether he could serve as a designated hitter in the upcoming series against the Rockies, Lindor remarked, “If I am good enough to hit and run, I should be good enough to play shortstop.” He added that he trusts the medical staff to make the best decision regarding his playing status.
Lindor, currently 31 years old, is having a solid season, boasting a batting average of .279 with 14 home runs and 36 RBIs over 61 games this year. The Mets managed to secure two wins in their opening three games of the series against the Dodgers. They are set to head to Denver to challenge the struggling Rockies this weekend and will enjoy an off day on Monday before hosting a series against the Nationals.
With Lindor’s impressive performance prior to his injury, there is hope that he could return to the lineup soon, providing a boost to the Mets as they strive for success in the coming matches.