The New York Mets Win Behind An MVP Performance

Francisco Lindor is having an amazing season. Baseball is a team game but Lindor has found ways to carry his team for months.

There is simply no player in the National League as valuable to his team as Francisco Lindor is to the Mets. The MVP race is down to Shohei Ohtani or Lindor. Ohtani is having a historic year at the DH position. He is putting up numbers a DH has never had before. However, it is clear that Ohtani is not as important to the Dodgers as Lindor is to the Mets.

The Mets would be under .500 without Lindor. The Dodgers would still be a playoff team without Ohtani.

The numbers back this up. Lindor has a league leading 6.5 WAR. Lindor has contributed 30% of the Mets’ overall WAR. Ohtani is second in the NL with 6.3 WAR. He has contributed 25% of his team’s WAR.

The Mets shortstop is simply more valuable, and that is what the MVP award is about.

Lindor showcased his worth yesterday, breaking the game open as a left handed hitter with a grand slam in the fourth inning. His swing made it 5-0. Later in the game, Lindor tacked on a solo shot from the other side of the plate. Lindor hit his 26th and 27th home run last night. He now has 73 RBI and 63 extra base hits. Lindor has already had an amazing year and he is on pace for a truly special one.

The Mets were clicking earlier in the year and Lindor, of course, was right in the middle of it. But it is much easier to be a good hitter when the lineup is thriving. What has really set Lindor apart is his performance in the last month or so.

New York’s lineup has not been soaring. Most of their key players have gone cold but their star has continued to play very well. The shortstop has only upped his game. He has a .951 OPS since the All Star break.

Lindor has been even better in August. His slash is .340/.386/.596. Lindor has willed the lineup to victory after victory. This is his team and he does everything he can to make it succeed.

Lindor also leads all of MLB in at bats and games played. He is on the field and at the plate every single day. No one does more for their team than Francisco Lindor.

Lindor’s fielding sets him apart from most. The shortstop is one of the best fielders in the league. He has excellent range and one of the best fielding run values in the league. Lindor has an elite 14 outs above average. That normally would be great, but this year that had added value. Shohei Ohtani is, of course, a full time DH.

Lindor’s special defensive play adds even more value this year. Lindor’s stats speak for themselves. His role on the team is special too. Lindor is the Mets’ leader. He controls the clubhouse energy. Everyone on the team benefits from Lindor’s team leadership. It will be up to the voters’ discretion whether that plays a role in the voting, but clearly it adds to his valuable role on the team.