SAN FRANCISCO — Francisco Lindor is starting to understand left-handed batting.
The switch-hitting Mets shortstop was a weak left-handed hitter for the first three weeks of the season, but had something of a breakout over the weekend, going 5-for-9 (.555 batting average) and hitting a home run. . At-bat against the Dodgers.
Before that surge, Lindor was a left-handed hitter who was 5-for-55 (.111).
Lindor took a slight step back on Monday, going 0-for-3 (all left-handed) in the Mets’ 5-2 loss to the Giants at Oracle Park. Lindor reached base with a walk in the seventh inning.
Overall, the Mets are happy with Lindor’s recent output from left-handed bats.
“He just doesn’t miss pitching,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “I’ve been saying this all along: He’s a great player and was ultimately going to move on. It’s not easy to switch bats and a lot of times I feel like one is better than the other, but right now… He’s pitching well and swinging well. I like the way he controls the strike zone.”
With Sean Reid-Foley back from the disabled list and Josh Walker recalled from Triple-A Syracuse, the Mets will have a second left-hander in the bullpen alongside Brooks Lally on the IL.
On Monday, Reed Foley and Walker each pitched scoreless innings.
Grant Hartwig was optioned and Michael Tonkin was assigned to create roster space.
This is Tonkin’s second DFA this season and third overall for the Mets (the Twins placed him on waivers before the Mets brought him back last week).
“It’s not easy and it’s not fun having to do this job twice, and this is a guy who has accomplished a lot,” Mendoza said. “[Tonkin] There was an outing like [Sunday] He saved our bullpen and we need an arm right now, but they have families and they have to break the news and it’s a business. ”
Reed-Foley was a bullpen candidate in spring training, but a shoulder impingement kept him from making the Opening Day roster.
Mendoza pointed out that Reed Foley and Reed Garrett are also good at handling left-handed pitchers, which could be a plus for the Mets, who will be sidelined by Reilly for at least two weeks with elbow swelling.
Kodai Senga will have two bullpen sessions this week before potentially moving on to the next stage of his rehabilitation, facing batters.
The right-hander is on the 60-day IL and won’t pitch for the Mets until at least May 27.
Tyler Megill held an “up and down” bullpen session to recreate multiple innings while rehabbing from right shoulder strain.
David Peterson is rehabbing from surgery to repair a torn labrum in his hip and is scheduled to pitch in a simulated game this week.
J.D. Martinez is scheduled to begin play at Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday before potentially making his debut with the Mets this weekend.
The veteran DH went 3-for-11 with three hits in three games for Single-A St. Lucie.
