Francisco Lindor not ready to think about place among great shortstops after 200th HR

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New York Mets’ Francisco Lindor (12) watches his three-run home run against the Houston Astros during the third inning of a baseball game Monday, June 19, 2023, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

QUEENS — From a strictly factual and statistical standpoint, Francisco Lindor has already cemented himself as one of the best offensive shortstops in Major League Baseball history.

The New York Mets star smacked his 200th career home run during a 7-2 victory on Tuesday night at Citi Field, taking a first-pitch sinker from Julio Teheran over the center-field fence in the fourth inning to give his struggling side a 2-0 lead.

“It’s special, it’s a blessing,” Lindor said. “Especially when you can contribute to the team’s win. God is good.”

With his “whole family” in attendance, Lindor entered an elite group of power-hitting shortstops — somewhat of an oxymoronic concept considering the prototypical shortstop for the first century of pro baseball was a defensive-savvy, light-hitting player. 

He becomes just the 10th shortstop in MLB history with 75% of his games played at the position to hit 200 career home runs, a list that is topped by Cal Ripken Jr. and his 431 round-trippers. A majority rest of the list ahead of Lindor, though, appears catchable within the next three seasons: