The Mets' MVP candidate did nothing to deter voters as the team returned to Queens to begin a crucial homestand.
With the Citi Field crowd chanting “MVP” on Monday night, Francisco Lindor answered by reaching base three times, scoring on a Brandon Nimmo double in the third inning and then recording an RBI of his own in the very next inning.
In the 4-1 win over the Red Sox, the strike zone was a bit larger than Mets hitters would like, but it was more than made up for by seven excellent innings from Luis Severino, which essentially was the difference in victory.
It was all in a day's work for Lindor, who extended his hitting streak to 13 games and his on-base streak to 31 games.
“It was pretty cool,” manager Carlos Mendoza said of the chant that's been going on at Citi Field for a while. “I felt it, and I was like, 'Wow,'” he said. “I look back from April through the first week of September and I've got 35,000 to 40,000 people chanting 'MVP.' It's pretty cool.”
“A special player, a special person. Again, he's everything you want in a player. We're proud to have his name in the lineup every day.”
The Mets have never had an MVP award, and with Shohei Ohtani stealing three bases on Monday to make it 44-46 and put Los Angeles on track to become the first team in baseball history to win 50-50, Lindor can't bring himself to think of himself as a favorite to win it.
If Ohtani makes more history, it would be no surprise if Lindor's combination of durability, defensive excellence and high-level consistency at the plate goes unnoticed by voters.
But if Lindor continues to play his role as a mainstay as the Mets make the playoffs, the MVP conversation will become a much more significant one.
The shortstop's value to the Mets was underscored Monday, when the Mets moved to within a half-game of the Braves for the National League's final wild-card spot.
The Mets, without father J.D. Martinez and rested Francisco Alvarez, who has struggled recently, were hurt by D.J. Stewart and Luis Torrens at the bottom of their lineup as they gave up two runs in the fourth inning.
Stewart singled, Torrens doubled, and an error by left fielder Tyler O'Neill allowed Stewart to score. Lindor quickly singled to send home the ever-reliable Torrens.
“It's special to see what kind of player Lindor is, what kind of season he's having and how he's contributing to the team as an individual,” Torrens said through a translator. “And [chants] I feel that way even more, especially when the team wins.”
