What the NY Mets Opening Day lineup could look without Francisco Lindor

The possible absence of Francisco Lindor from the New York Mets lineup to open the 2026 season has a major trickle down effect. Shortstop becomes vacant and so does the leadoff spot. The Mets don’t have Brandon Nimmo to turn to for those leadoff at-bats any longer. Other than Lindor and Nimmo, the only other player with 5 games in the leadoff spot last year was Starling Marte who seems unlikely to come back as well.

So what do the Mets do? There’s what they should do and what they probably will.

What I’d like:

1) Juan Soto, LF
2) Bo Bichette, 3B
3) Jorge Polanco, 1B
4) Brett Baty, DH
5) Marcus Semien, 2B
6) Luis Robert Jr., CF
7) Francisco Alvarez, C
8) Carson Benge, RF
9) Ronny Mauricio, SS

What I think they’ll do:

1) Bo Bichette, 3B
2) Juan Soto, LF
3) Jorge Polanco, 1B
4) Marcus Semien, 2B
5) Brett Baty, DH
6) Luis Robert Jr., CF
7) Francisco Alvarez, C
8) Carson Benge, RF
9) Vidal Brujan, SS

Which Mets lineup is better?

The major difference at the top relevant to Lindor is the decision to go with Bo Bichette over Juan Soto. The idea of hitting Soto in front of Bichette has more appeal. Soto is an OBP machine. Bichette will challenge for 200 hits in any given full season. A Soto walk followed by a Bichette single has more potential than the other way around. Plus, it keeps them in the back-to-back everyone assumes the club will go with in the regular season with: Lindor-Soto-Bichette.

The rest is largely dependent on a few things. Right field and Baty are irrelevant to the Lindor discussion. Shortstop is where there can be a lot of debate.

Vidal Brujan starting at shortstop for the Mets to begin the year feels like the lackluster decision we could see, especially if there’s a scenario where Lindor isn’t hurt badly enough to earn an IL stint but isn’t fully ready to go in game one.

The Mets have the capability of getting creative with the number nine spot in the lineup when all are healthy. Luis Robert Jr. feels like a good choice. Even Marcus Semien does, too. Francisco Alvarez might simply slot in there due to his lack of consistent success with potential to rise. There’s also Carson Benge who might fall there simply because he’s a rookie. In both of these lineups, it’s the shortstop replacement. In one case, it’s the inferior Brujan. In the other, it’s Ronny Mauricio.

Nothing has yet to indicate Lindor will actually begin the year on the IL, but a 6-week time frame on the table is pushing it. The Mets open the season on March 26. Lindor has battled through injuries in each of the last two seasons. This time, with it occurring right out of the gate, a little extra caution can go a long way.