Mets News on Francisco Lindor's Hand Injury Timeline, MLB Opening Day Status After Surgery

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor will have surgery on Wednesday to fix a stress reaction in his left hamate bone.

While he is expected to miss six weeks, manager Carlos Mendoza made it clear that the team is "optimistic" Lindor would be ready for Opening Day on March 26.

President of baseball operations David Stearns had previously discussed the situation with reporters on Tuesday:

Lindor already had what was described as a "cleanup procedure" on his right elbow this offseason, which ruled him out for the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

Stearns explained the hamate issue isn't necessarily new but instead something that has dogged the five-time All-Star for a while.

One wouldn't have guessed Lindor was carrying any underlying injuries given he has missed 15 combined games since the start of 2022. He has also hit 121 home runs with a .266 average and a .471 slugging percentage during that span.

Few MLB fanbases are more fatalistic than the Mets, and their followers come by it honestly. The regular season is a month and a half away, so it's entirely on-brand that one of New York's best hitters is injured and could need surgery.

Thanks to their offseason business, the Mets might at least be able to weather Lindor's absence if he's ruled out for Opening Day.

Stearns fortified the lineup by adding Bo Bichette, Jorge Polanco, Marcus Semien and Luis Robert Jr., and Bichette is an obvious alternative at shortstop should push come to shove. He's tentatively penciled in as the starting third baseman.

But some Mets fans are bound to think Wednesday's news is an omen for the 2026 campaign.