Francisco Lindor Injury Ripple Effects on Mets, NL East

The New York Mets could get a superstar back into the mix in the very near future.

Apr 14, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The New York Mets are in a tricky spot right now.

It's still far too early in the campaign for the Mets to do anything drastic. It's just May 18. The Mets have had a brutal season so far and are 20-26 on the season so far, but they have won two in a row and six of their last 10 games. The biggest reason for optimism for Mets fans right now is the fact that Jon Heyman of The New York Post reported that the Mets "have hope" superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor could return in about one month.

"Mets have hope star SS Francisco Lindor (calf) may be back in about a month, though they aren’t putting a timetable on it. No timetable on Polanco or Robert Jr.," Heyman wrote.

Mets have hope star SS Francisco Lindor (calf) may be back in about a month, though they aren’t putting a timetable on it. No timetable on Polanco or Robert Jr.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 18, 2026

NL East Impact With Francisco Lindor Trending Up

Apr 22, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) reacts after his RBI infield single against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Right now, the Mets are seven games behind the first-place Atlanta Braves. The Philadelphia Phillies are in second place in the division, but are just one game above .500. The Phillies have a 24-23 record, while the Mets are in last place in the division at 20-26. There was a time when the Mets and Phillies were tied for the worst record in baseball. Philadelphia fired former manager Rob Thomson and has turned things around since.

The Mets have the second-highest tax payroll in baseball at over $383.7 million. Clearly, they have the talent needed to turn things around. Getting Lindor back in the near future could be the catalyst New York needs to get on track. For the Phillies, the catalyst was firing Thomson. Getting Lindor back could have a comparable impact on New York, or at least the Mets could use the Phillies as motivation.

Before he got hurt, Lindor was slashing .226/.314/.355 with a .669 OPS, two homers, five RBIs, and 11 walks in 24 games played. That's a small sample size and doesn't tell the whole story. Lindor is among the best overall players in the league when he's at his best. He was a 5.9-WAR player in 2025 and slashed .267/.346/.466 with an .811 OPS, 31 homers, 86 RBIs, and 31 stolen bases in 160 games played. If the Mets can get Lindor back within the next month and he plays like he did in 2025, the Mets will have the lineup game-changer that they need. If so, the Mets will move up the standings in the National League East and may even have a shot at a playoff spot.