NEW YORK – Francisco Lindor waited a month to get back in the lineup at Citi Field.
When he finally did Tuesday, was it everything he envisioned?
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“It was better,” Lindor said, flashing that signature smile. “Pretty cool. Pretty special."
Playing at home for the first time since Sept. 8 after being sidelined by a back injury, the Mets' star shortstop was serenaded by “MVP!” chants from a sellout crowd that also resumed happily singing along to his walk-up song, “My Girl” by The Temptations.
At the plate, Lindor went 1 for 5 with an RBI double in the eighth inning that punctuated New York's 7-2 victory over the rival Philadelphia Phillies in Game 3 of their NL Division Series.
The surprising Mets took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five set and can reach the National League Championship Series with another victory Wednesday at home.
“Amazing. Amazing. The fans really put on a great show,” Lindor said. “Great atmosphere.”
A contender for the NL MVP award, Lindor injured his back Sept. 13 in Philadelphia and played just one inning over the next 10 games before returning Sept. 27 in Milwaukee.
After two weeks of dramatic twists and turns on the road, the Mets were back in their own ballpark Tuesday for the first time since Sept. 22.
“I always felt confident that I was going to come back, but you never know,” Lindor said.
The leadoff hitter is a huge reason the Mets were able to make it this far and earn two Division Series games in Queens.
Among a string of clutch contributions, his tying homer in the ninth inning Sept. 11 at Toronto broke up Bowden Francis' no-hit bid and sparked a critical Mets victory, and his go-ahead homer in the ninth on Sept. 30 in Atlanta clinched a postseason berth.
Lindor also fought back from a 1-2 count to draw an eight-pitch walk leading off the ninth against All-Star closer Devin Williams last Thursday in Milwaukee, helping to set up Pete Alonso’s go-ahead homer that saved New York’s season in the Wild Card Series clincher.
“I’m in a good place right now. I’m living the life I always wanted," Lindor said.
After working hard with the athletic training staff for weeks just to get back on the field, Lindor received a loud ovation during formal introductions prior to Game 3. The “MVP! MVP!” chants started even before his name was announced.
Then in the first inning, Citi Field fans once again sang along to “My Girl” as he stepped to the plate.
The switch-hitter flied out to the warning track in right-center.
“We’ve got to play well here otherwise we get booed here, too,” Lindor said before the game, drawing laughs from reporters.
His back injury caused him to become familiar with some new medical terms.
“There’s a couple of different ones, whether it’s names of injections or names of the L4, L5, S1, facet joints, all that stuff. I’m out here learning anatomy,” he said. “So it wasn’t a good process, but I guess it made me a little smarter.”
Lindor goes through a lengthy pregame routine with athletic trainers to stay healthy enough to play, but said now he's “in a very good spot.”
“I can’t praise the trainers enough (for) how good they have done their job. It’s one of those where if I sit for too long and I get up, I feel it. But it’s not as bad,” Lindor said. “No one that’s playing baseball right now is playing pain-free. We all have something happening. My back, it’s in a much, much better spot. I’m not even thinking about it at this point.”
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza noted the 30-year-old Lindor is not only “locked in,” but “a lot more mature” and even keel.
“He understands that it happens quick. Can’t get too high, can’t get too low,” Mendoza said. “He’s been in a lot of playoff games. He’s been in the World Series. And I think he’s enjoying it. I don’t think he’s probably expressing as much, but deep inside this is what he wants. This is what he wants not only for him but for the team and the organization. So, proud of him.”
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB