There are a few things in baseball you can pencil in every year without even checking the schedule. Death, taxes, and a slow start to the season from New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor. It has almost become part of the routine, where the production takes a little time to show up. The difference this time is that even without the hits piling up yet, something underneath the surface already feels a little different.
Instead of chasing his way into rhythm, Lindor has quietly started stacking quality at-bats by taking what pitchers are giving him. The ball is not flying off the bat yet, but the approach is doing its job. If that one adjustment keeps showing up night after night, it may not just break the usual slow-start script; it could start lifting the entire lineup with it.
The Mets lineup could benefit as Francisco Lindor’s patience shows up
Fans of the Mets are used to Francisco Lindor getting off to a slow start, and this season is following that familiar pattern. In his first 23 at-bats, he has managed only three hits, with a .304 slugging percentage. His numbers haven’t reflected much production so far, and at first glance, it seems like another repeat of his typical early-season struggles.
Despite his low batting average, Francisco Lindor has posted a strong .394 on-base percentage, drawing nine walks in his first seven games. He has earned a walk in five consecutive games, and over the past four seasons, this run stands as both his second-longest walk streak and his second-highest walk total across a seven-game span.
The only time he exceeded this came between July 11 and July 20 of the 2024 season, when he recorded 10 walks in seven games, including a six-game streak. That level of discipline keeps pitchers under pressure and allows Lindor to control each at-bat, even when hits are scarce.
Now in his sixth season with the Mets, Lindor’s career-high walk total with the team is 66. After just seven games, he is already on pace to surpass that number. As a leadoff hitter setting the table for players like Juan Soto and Bo Bichette, his primary role is to get on base—and he is doing exactly that, even if his production with runners in scoring position has yet to catch up.
Right now, the hits with runners in scoring position are not there. That will change. What matters is that Lindor is not letting the top of the lineup go quiet while everyone waits for it to. He is getting on, keeping innings alive, and making sure this offense has something to cash in on when it finally breaks through.
