The New York Mets faced another injury setback Wednesday evening when All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor departed their matchup with the Minnesota Twins due to left calf tightness.
The timing proved particularly cruel for the struggling franchise, as Lindor’s departure came on the same day outfielder Juan Soto returned from a similar calf injury that had kept him sidelined.
Lindor’s injury became apparent during the fourth inning when he appeared to struggle while running the bases. After reaching first base, he scored on Francisco Alvarez’s double to right-center field but showed clear signs of discomfort as he rounded third base and slid home feet-first.
The veteran infielder winced noticeably during the play and briefly remained on the ground after successfully beating the throw to home plate. He subsequently left the field with a team trainer and did not return to action.
Brett Baty took Lindor’s spot in the batting order, moving to third base while Bo Bichette shifted from third to shortstop when the Mets took the field in the fifth inning.
Before his exit, Lindor had contributed offensively by driving in a run with an infield single in the opening frame. He also showcased his defensive skills early in the contest with an impressive leaping catch at shortstop.
The injury comes at a particularly difficult time for New York, which entered the game mired in a 12-game losing streak. Soto had just been activated from the 10-day injured list earlier Wednesday after missing time with a right calf strain suffered on April 3 during a game in San Francisco.
