NY Mets: 3 accomplishments we want from Francisco Lindor

Win National League Most Valuable Player

Before we jump to Lindor, let’s talk about some Mets history.

No Mets player has ever won the NL MVP award, with players like Darryl Strawberry, Mike Piazza, and Tom Seaver finishing second. Carlos Beltran was robbed in 2006 (fourth place?), while David Wright’s 2007 fourth-place finish is a crime when looking at the voting. The less said about the 2007 Mets, the better.

Jacob deGrom, you may ask? He never finished in the top three, despite being one of the best players in the National League since his debut. Regardless, Lindor, now viewed as New York’s franchise player, would do well for his career a Met if he finally brought the award home.

Lindor has never won the AL MVP during his tenure with the Cleveland Indians, finishing as high as fifth in 2017. That year, Lindor finished with .273/.337/.505 to go with 33 home runs, 99 RBI, and 19 stolen bases, as Cleveland finished with 102 wins. Lindor’s combination of offensive value and elite play in the field netted him his highest-ever finish for the award.

While Lindor isn’t an elite power hitter, his combination of counting stats (doubles, batting average) with solid power production and gold glove-like defense will allow him to contend for the award. Once Lindor’s numbers stabilize this season, expect to see the stat line that would make him a contender for years to come – a good home run totals, a solid amount of doubles, and a handful of stolen bases.

There’s no chance for Lindor to win this season, but I wouldn’t count out Lindor moving forward. As the Mets get healthy on both the pitching and hitting side, the team will play well, taking some of the pressure off of Lindor to produce. In turn, having the likes of Brandon Nimmo in front of him, with Michael Conforto, Pete Alonso, and Jeff McNeil behind him, Lindor will see some more hittable pitches, will break out of his slump, and will be a key piece to the Mets winning.