Francisco Lindor Provides Optimistic Injury Update

If the New York Mets are going to reach their potential this season, they're going to need star shortstop Francisco Lindor to perform.

There's no question that Lindor is one of the best two-way shortstops in the game when he's healthy. The problem is that he isn't healthy right now, as he suffered a stress reaction in his left hamate bone at the beginning of spring training.

Lindor underwent surgery on February 11. When speaking with the media later that day, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was asked about the timeline of him ramping up baseball activities and potentially being ready for Opening Day, and said, "It varies. People are saying six weeks for return of play. Knowing Lindor, I'm not gonna bet against him. This is a guy that has played through broken toes, and the low back two years ago, when he could barely walk, and he continued to play through it.

"So we're still optimistic that he's going to be available for us on Opening Day, but we've just got to wait and see," Mendoza added.

New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

While Lindor being injured was obviously not ideal, the good news is that all updates since his surgery have been positive in terms of his recovery timeline.

One example of this was Mendoza saying, "He played catch yesterday and he was able to catch the baseball. He's going to go through some light defensive drills. So now incorporating more baseball activity. Hopefully he starts swinging a bat... if it's not today, I'm pretty sure tomorrow he'll start that," when speaking with the media on March 3, per an X post from SNY.

While Lindor missing spring training is obviously not ideal, the most important thing is that he's fully healthy to play on Opening Day.

And Lindor provided a great update in that regard when speaking to the New York Post for a March 5 article.

Lindor said that he is 100% confident that he can be ready for Opening Day, and that he's checking all the boxes in order to reach that point.

https://t.co/OSWY6PxMrr Lindor tells The Post following his first BP he believes he can make it Opening Day (and more Mets notes)
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) March 5, 2026

Granted, this isn't the same as Lindor guarenteeing that he will be ready to play on Opening Day; he's saying there's 100% a chance that he'll be ready for that first game.

Still, all signs are pointing in the right direction for New York's star shortstop being ready to play come Opening Day.

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