Did WBC play a role in Francisco Lindor’s sluggish beginning?

WBC may have contributed to Francisco Lindor’s slow start

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World Baseball Classic Participation Might Have Affected Francisco Lindor’s Performance, Says Buck Showalter

New York Mets’ manager Buck Showalter suggested on Tuesday that participating in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) might have impacted shortstop Francisco Lindor’s performance this season. Lindor, who hit a two-run home run in the third inning of the Mets’ 6-4 loss to the Atlanta Braves, had a largely underwhelming season up until this point with a .213/.284/.404 slash line, ten homers, and 40 RBIs. Showalter raised the issue while discussing Omar Narvaez, another Mets player who participated in the WBC and recently returned from the injured list after missing two months due to a left calf strain. Showalter speculated that Lindor and Narvaez had to deal with a different clock than other players due to their early-season international competition.

“I think as we get away from it, we will see some of the effects from it. I think we see a little bit of it even with Lindor, having to start that competitive championship thing in February, as opposed to April,” Showalter said.

However, Showalter also acknowledged that Lindor’s participation in the WBC might have helped him get back on track. While Lindor said that he wanted to represent Puerto Rico as a tribute to his homeland, he missed all but 25 games of the 2022 season due to a right shoulder injury that required surgery.

“It’s a whole different clock they have got. I can’t tell you how much it meant to Omar and Francisco to be vital cogs in their countries’ pursuit of that championship. It’s good for baseball, but I think it’s got some residual too that we’ll probably look at as the season ends,” Showalter added.

Showalter’s comments came after Mets’ closer Edwin Diaz suffered a season-ending injury due to an on-field celebration at the WBC. Diaz tore the patellar tendon in his right knee and had surgery to repair it.

Lindor, 28, is a four-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner who signed a ten-year, $341 million contract extension with the Mets before the 2022 season. He played for Puerto Rico in the 2017 WBC, which Cuba won. This year’s WBC ended in March, and Lindor joined the Mets in 2022 with high expectations after being traded from the Cleveland Indians.

In a separate development, the Mets learned that their former teammate and two-time Cy Young award winner Jacob deGrom needs elbow surgery and may require a second Tommy John surgery. DeGrom, who turned 34 last month, missed half of the 2021 and 2022 seasons with various ailments, including elbow discomfort. Several Mets players, including outfielder Brandon Nimmo and current pitcher Justin Verlander, expressed their support for deGrom and wished him a speedy recovery.

FAQs:

Q: What is the World Baseball Classic?
A: The World Baseball Classic (WBC) is an international tournament featuring national baseball teams from around the world. It is held every four years and usually starts in March. This year’s WBC was the fifth edition of the competition since its inception in 2006.

Q: How did Francisco Lindor perform in the 2022 World Baseball Classic?
A: Francisco Lindor played for Puerto Rico in the 2022 World Baseball Classic, which ran from March 9 to March 23. Puerto Rico finished third in its group, behind Cuba and Mexico, and failed to advance to the knockout stage. Lindor batted .231 (6-for-26) with a double, two walks, and four strikeouts in six games during the tournament.

Q: What is Francisco Lindor’s contract with the Mets?
A: Francisco Lindor signed a ten-year, $341 million contract extension with the New York Mets before the 2022 season. The deal is the third-largest in MLB history, behind only Giancarlo Stanton’s and Bryce Harper’s contracts. Lindor’s contract expires after the 2032 season.

Q: What is Tommy John surgery?
A: Tommy John surgery, named after former MLB pitcher Tommy John, is a procedure in which a damaged elbow ligament is replaced with a tendon from another part of the body or a donor. The surgery is usually done on pitchers who have torn their ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) and can’t pitch effectively without it. The recovery time for Tommy John surgery is typically 12 to 18 months, and many players who have undergone the procedure have returned to their previous level of performance or even improved.

Francisco Lindor’s slow start possibly attributed to WBC participation