Francisco Lindor Return Timetable Bad News for Mets, MLB in General

The New York Mets shortstop reportedly is going to be out of action until June.

Apr 17, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Chicago Cubs during the eight inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The New York Mets are ice-cold right now, despite the highest payroll in Major League Baseball.

New York kicked off a doubleheader against the Colorado Rockies on Sunday with a 3-1 loss. It dropped the Mets' record to 9-18 on the season. New York simply hasn't been able to get out of its own way and to make matters worse, superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor is out due to a calf strain. Unfortunately for the Mets — and Major League Baseball as a whole — it's going to be a while before Lindor is able to return to the field again.

In fact, USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported that the Mets "privately" are expecting Lindor to be out until "weeks into June."

"The Mets have not provided a timetable for Francisco Lindor’s calf strain, but are privately expecting him to be out until weeks into June.

MLB Impact Of Francisco Lindor’s Absence

Apr 22, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) warm up before a game against the Minnesota Twins at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Francisco Lindor isn't just a star for New York, but one of the most popular players in the league in general. When Opening Day arrived on March 26, MLB.com shared a story highlighting the most popular jerseys in the league. Unsurprisingly, Shohei Ohtani led the way. Lindor came in at No. 16, just one spot behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and one spot ahead of Ronald Acuña Jr. Lindor came in two spots ahead of Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Any time one of the most popular players in the league goes down with an injury, that's fewer eyeballs on the game in general. The Mets have the highest payroll in the league. Losing Lindor, and the club struggling in general, isn't a great look. The Tampa Bays are 27th in the league at just over $109 million in payroll, but are 16-11 on the season. In comparison, the Mets are 9-18. The more New York struggles, the worse these large contracts look. Why would a team go out and hand them out if a team like New York is actually struggling? It's not great for free agency.

Lindor is one of the best overall shortstops in the league and plays in the biggest market in New York. When the Mets are good, the noise is loud. When New York is bad, like it is right now, the noise is even louder. All in all, Lindor being out isn't great for New York, or baseball in general.