New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor certainly was not himself in 2021.
Perhaps it just took a little time for him to adjust to his new surroundings and his new team.
The 28-year-old slugger still managed to hit 20 homers last season, but his average dropped down to .230.
So far in 2022, that doesn’t seem to be much of a problem.
He is hitting .320 in 50 at-bats with 10 RBIs and a 1.073 OPS and today he belted his fourth home run of the young season, smacking a pitch from San Francisco Giants starter Anthony DeSclafani into the upper deck at Citi Field on Thursday afternoon.
Francisco Lindor remains on fire to start the season. He just hit his fourth home run in 14 games (and his first as a DH). Upper tank.
Mets 1, Giants 0, bottom one. pic.twitter.com/9L49TxpSTt
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) April 21, 2022
Mr. Smile Is Back
It seems as though “Mr. Smile” is back.
This is the Lindor we all know and love and are used to seeing.
This Lindor is somebody who rakes and puts up MVP numbers year after year.
This is the kind of player the Mets thought they were getting when they traded for him after the 2020 season.
This is the real Francisco Lindor.
And boy, did he hit that ball hard.
It was high and far and was a no-doubter too.
Lindor may not have been himself last season, but now he’s doing what we’re all used to seeing him do: absolutely rake.
This is a good early sign for the Mets, who are off to a hot start and look like the class of the NL East early on.
A win today would put them at 10-4.
They currently have the second-best record in the National League and it’s thanks in large part to Lindor’s resurgence.
Lindor is hot and mashing baseballs again.
The Mets are finally seeing Lindor for who he truly is.
