3 Mets players who redeemed themselves after a bad first year in Flushing

3) NY Mets player who redeemed himself: Francisco Lindor

The latest blockbuster trade that the New York Mets made was back in January of 2021 in which they acquired star shortstop Francisco Lindor and starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco from the then-Cleveland Indians in a massive deal, that also sent current shortstop Amed Rosario, Andres Giménez a pair of prospects back to Cleveland.

As noted with the previous two players, the expectations surrounding Lindor were sky-high as Lindor was arguably regarded as the best shortstop in baseball at the time and would wind up signing a massive 10-year $341 million extension prior to the start of the 2021 season. That number would easily become the biggest contract in Mets history which would raise the stakes in Lindor's first season in Flushing.

Lindor largely struggled during his first campaign in Flushing which resulted in consistent booing by Mets fans, but it seemed things started to turn around after the Mets acquired one of his best friends in Javy Baez at the Trade Deadline. Unfortunately, Lindor would be roped in with Baez during the entire thumbs-down controversy which would create a further divide between Lindor and Mets fans.

However, his big three-home run night against the New York Yankees on Sunday night baseball on September 12th seemed to turn the narrative of Mets fans and Lindor seemed to begin being fully embraced. Lindor wound up ending the season with a .230 batting average to go along with 20 home runs and 63 RBIs.

In 2022, Lindor had one of the greatest seasons for a shortstop in team history as he helped lead the Mets to a playoff birth and hit .270 with 26 home runs and 107 RBIs. He broke the Mets' single-season home run record by a shortstop as well as eclipsed his career high in RBIs.

Lindor is expected to be a large part of the Mets' success for the next decade and building off his successful 2022 campaign will go a long way to becoming one of the greatest players to don a Mets uniform.