The same day he got selected to start an All-Star Game for the first time, Francisco Lindor was removed from the leadoff spot Wednesday night with the New York Mets in a major slump.
And the move paid off immediately.
After making 191 consecutive starts at the top of the lineup, Lindor batted second as the designated hitter in the finale of a day-night doubleheader against the Milwaukee Brewers and their rookie sensation, right-hander Jacob Misiorowski.
Brandon Nimmo returned to the leadoff slot and launched a grand slam off the hard-throwing Misiorowski in the second inning. Lindor followed with his 17th home run to give the Mets a 5-0 lead, then added an RBI single with two outs in the sixth.
A slumping Lindor went 0 for 4 as New York mustered only two hits during a 7-2 loss in the opener, leaving him 2 for 29 with one walk in his past seven games. Before the nightcap he was 8 for 60 (.133) in 15 games since June 15, and his batting average had plummeted from .289 with an .858 OPS on June 7 to .255 with a .766 OPS through Game 1 of the twinbill.
Nimmo was bumped up to leadoff, a role he was accustomed to before Mets manager Carlos Mendoza moved Lindor from third in the order to first in May 2024, citing the success the switch-hitter enjoyed atop the lineup earlier in his career with Cleveland.
The change led to Lindor breaking out of a prolonged slump and the Mets taking off following a miserable start. The star shortstop finished runner-up to Shohei Ohtani for NL MVP last year, and New York made a surprise playoff run before losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series.
Lindor and the Mets both got out of the gate much better this season, but New York (48-38) had lost four straight and 14 of 17 heading into the second game of the doubleheader.
In results announced Wednesday night, Lindor beat out fellow finalist Mookie Betts of the Dodgers in fan balloting to be the starting shortstop for the National League in the July 15 showcase at Truist Park in Atlanta.
It marked the first All-Star selection in five seasons with the Mets for Lindor, who signed a $341 million, 10-year contract with New York after being acquired from Cleveland in a January 2021 trade. He made four straight AL All-Star teams with Cleveland from 2016-19 — but never as a fan-elected starter.
The previous Mets shortstop to win a starting All-Star assignment was Jose Reyes in 2011.
Nine different players were among the 12 shortstops picked for the NL All-Star squad the past four years over Lindor, often a slow starter since joining the Mets. But he’s finished in the top nine in NL MVP voting each of the last three years, and won Silver Slugger awards in 2023 and 2024.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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