The New York Mets had a crash-and-burn type season in 2023, but one player specifically on the team who had an interesting season was shortstop Francisco Lindor. At the beginning of the season, he had his struggles, and many were questioning if he still was one of the game's best shortstops.
The 29-year-old currently has 27 home runs, which is good for third among all MLB shortstops. He is also third among all shortstops in RBIs, with a total of 90 right now. Are these numbers enough to make him one of the more dangerous shortstops in baseball still?
Plenty of MLB fans are quick to point to the amount of hitless games Lindor has had this season, especially early on. New York's shortstop has gone hitless 50 times this season, which for sure is not a good look. The expectations he has are very high, especially since signing a massive 10-year contract with the Mets a few years ago.
When the Mets traded for Lindor, they thought he was going to be the A+ bat in the lineup they needed. Unfortunately, he has yet to translate his Cleveland production over to New York. He for sure has come close to it, but he hasn't eclipsed what he's done before he came over to the Mets.
During his tenure in Cleveland, Lindor eclipsed 300 total bases three times. So far in New York, he hasn't come close to that total yet. Another major statistical dip the shortstop has seen is his batting average. In six seasons with Cleveland, he attained a .285 BA, while posting a .252 BA since coming to New York.
NY Mets: Is Francisco Lindor still a top SS in baseball?
Is Lindor still one of the game's better shortstops? I'd say yes, but he for sure used to be the best. You'd be lying to yourself if you said the shortstop has better numbers with the Mets than Cleveland. New York hasn't seen the best version of Lindor, and many are starting to wonder if he can ever be that guy again.
Right now, I'd say Lindor is the third-best shortstop in MLB right now, only behind Corey Seager and Bo Bichette. When the Mets shortstop is at his best though, he isn't just one of the game's best shortstops, but he's also one of the game's best hitters.
Lindor has finished top ten in MVP voting four times. He for sure is talented enough to play at an MVP level, but the Mets need to see it for a full season, not just half a season. New York has enough to field a competitive roster in 2024, as they have a strong enough core to build around. They have a player on their roster who has x-factor potential, and that is Lindor.
Early on in the season, it was looking like Lindor was losing whatever he used to have. Across his last 75 games though, he's hitting .274 with 11 homers in that span. As long as he continues to rake, he'll for sure be regarded as one of MLB's best shortstops.
Only time will tell though if he can get back to being not just one of the best shortstops, but also one of the best players.
