Francisco Lindor (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Mets star shortstop Francisco Lindor underwent surgery on his right elbow to remove a bone spur, the team announced on Wednesday.
The procedure, performed by Dr. David Altchek in New York City, will not cause him to miss any time next season as he is expected to be fully ready for the start of spring training.
There was no inclination that Lindor was playing through any sort of discomfort or issue. The 29-year-old was once again one of the top shortstops in all of baseball in 2023 despite the Mets’ disappointing, playoff-less campaign.
Lindor became just the fourth Mets player ever to record a 30-30 season — the first time he’s ever hit that benchmark in his career — as he slashed .254/.336/.470 (.806 OPS) with 31 home runs, 98 RBI, and 31 stolen bases. It was by far his finest year since being acquired by the team ahead of the 2021 season.
The early and positive prognosis that Lindor won’t miss any time is good news for a club that will be re-tooling and potentially reloading this winter. After not making the playoffs and selling at the trade deadline to restock their farm system, the Mets’ front office is now being run entirely by their first-ever president of baseball operations, David Stearns, after general manager Billy Eppler resigned.
He’ll be tasked with finding a new manager after Buck Showalter was dismissed and guiding the Mets through a prominent free-agency period that will feature a once-in-a-lifetime talent in Shohei Ohtani and Japanese superstar pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Not only will he have to build up the pitching staff behind Kodai Senga and Jose Quintana, but he’ll have to find a legitimate designated hitter and figure out who the starting third baseman will be on Opening Day.
At least he won’t have to worry about the shortstop position.
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