Francisco Lindor was back with the Mets on Monday night, less than 24 hours after ESPN reported he and his wife Katia welcomed their third child â and first son â Koa Amani Lindor. Lindor rejoined the club in Miami for the series opener against the Marlins at loanDepot Park, suited up and ready if needed. The Mets ultimately cruised to a comfortable 10-4 victory over the Marlins, and the star shortstop wasn’t needed.
The Mets opted not to put Lindor on the paternity list, which wouldâve sidelined him for at least Mondayâs game and potentially up to three total. Instead, Lindor stayed on the active roster, with manager Carlos Mendoza left to make the call on his gameday status.
The Mets star has made a habit of blending personal milestones with baseball magic. Just last season, he homered in his first plate appearance after the birth of his second daughter, turning an already special day into one for the highlight reel.
Lindor is coming off a solid 2024 season where he hit 27 home runs and drove in 89, despite a batting average that settled in the .250 range. Despite the team’s much-discussed signing of outfielder Juan Soto this offseason, Lindor continues to be the cornerstone of the Mets’ defense and the center of their clubhouse.
With a more balanced lineup providing him with much-needed protection, Lindor will be a crucial player for the Mets as they look to compete in a crowded NL East this season. Now fully entrenched in New York, with a young family and the comfort of stability, thereâs reason to believe he could settle in and resemble the MVP-caliber version the Mets were after when they landed him in a blockbuster trade with the Cleveland Guardians in January 2021, sending a package headlined by Andrés Giménez and Amed Rosario.
The Mets’ Kodai Senga faces Miami’s Sandy Alcantara Tuesday night.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Mets’ Francisco Lindor Welcomes Baby Boy, Stays Ready for Miami Series appeared first on Heavy Sports.