Francisco Lindor continues to take incremental steps toward returning to the diamond for the Mets, but the shortstop still has to test how his back is feeling each day.
Lindor admitted on Sunday that he does not expect to play without pain in his back for the remainder of the season but the goal is getting the discomfort to a manageable level. He continues to go through pregame workouts to test his back as the final week gets underway.
"If I play this year, I don’t think it’s going to be pain-free," Lindor said Sunday. "I’m OK with that. I just don’t want it to be a constant pain where I can’t bend over and then I put my teammates in a position where I’m not helping them as much as I can. That’s not fair for anybody."
Lindor injured his back on Sept. 13 on the road against the Phillies and has not played since Sept. 15 when he was pulled after one inning. He was out of the lineup for an eighth straight game on Tuesday.
The shortstop, who received a facet injection last Thursday, took his second straight day of batting practice before Sunday's win over the Phillies. He has taken fielding practice and run in the outfield but has yet to see live pitching.
"The goal is to come in every day and work as hard as I can to reach that limit that the trainers want to – that threshold that they want me to hit – and then we go from there," Lindor said Sunday. "Today, I got to that threshold. It’s another day, another slow step in the right direction."
When will Francisco Lindor return to Mets' lineup?
Lindor said he is "optimistic" he will play again during the 2024 season, but continues to go through a progression under the direction of the team's training staff.
"I have faith. I believe in the Lord, and I believe in what the trainers are doing," Lindor said. "I believe I’m doing everything I can day in and day out to try and be in a position where I can get back and play. I want to be there as much as anybody."
When he's in the lineup, Lindor has been the Mets' most valuable player, with an 7.4 fWAR and .271/.342/.494 slash line with 31 home runs, 86 RBI, 103 runs and 27 stolen bases.
The Mets have received a major lift from Luisangel Acuña in Lindor's absence. The 22-year-old shortstop is 11-for-29 (.379) with three home runs, six RBI and six runs. The Mets went 6-1 without Lindor in the starting lineup last week.
But as the Mets push for a postseason berth, they are hopeful for the return of their star shortstop.
"I gotta make sure that I’m in a spot where (the trainers) say I’m good and I also believe I’m good and I’m gonna go out there," Lindor said.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Francisco Lindor injury update: When will Mets' shortstop return to lineup?
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