Francisco Lindor to undergo imaging on sore back as Mets fight for playoff berth in tight wild-card race

The New York Mets ' crucial walk-off loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday was bad enough for the club, and the ongoing back troubles of star shortstop Franciso Lindor made matters worse.

Lindor exited Sunday's eventual 2-1 loss in the second inning with a recurrence of back discomfort, and after the game he said he's going to undergo an MRI to shed more light on what's been a persistent issue in recent days:

Lindor was forced from Friday's game, and on Saturday he missed his first full game of the 2024 season. Even before leaving Sunday, though, Lindor singled to center leading off the game and threw out the speedy Trea Turner on a grounder in the home half of the opening frame.

To say the least, if Lindor is out for some time or even compromised yet able to play, it will be a critical blow to the Mets. In this, his age-30 season Lindor has put up a slash line of .271/.342/.494 with 31 home runs, 39 doubles, 27 stolen bases, and of course excellent defense at the vital position of shortstop. That broad foundation of value has put Lindor in the discussion for National League Most Valuable Player honors for 2024. While Los Angeles Dodgers DH Shohei Ohtani right now is probably the favorite for the award, Lindor is surely in the mix.

As for Lindor's Mets, the stakes are high for them right now. The loss of Sunday's rubber match against the Phillies dropped them to a half-game behind the Braves for the third and final NL wild-card spot, with Atlanta waiting to play the Dodgers later Sunday night. The prospect of having to play any of their few remaining games without Lindor is a harrowing one for the Mets and their fans, but that's a realistic fear right now, at least pending the outcome of that MRI. What that MRI says could have bearing not on not only the NL MVP race but also what the NL playoff bracket looks like.