Francisco Lindor plays simulated game, Mets expect SS to return by end of June

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The New York Mets expect to get their starting shortstop back in the lineup within the next couple of weeks.

Francisco Lindor faced live pitching and played two innings at shortstop during a simulated game on Friday. Based on that progress, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns told reporters that he expects Lindor to rejoin the everyday lineup by the end of June.

Lindor, 32, took at-bats against a pitcher from the Mets’ high Single-A Brooklyn affiliate. The Mets did not share the results of those at-bats, but did say that Lindor did not run the bases on contact. He also fielded ground balls at shortstop.

According to manager Carlos Mendoza, running the bases would be the last step for Lindor before he’s deemed ready to go on a minor-league rehab assignment.

"It’s more like a controlled environment that we're simulating game action, but we're controlling it," Mendoza said after the workout. "He's going to do that again next week here, where instead of two innings, it's more like three, five [innings]. And then, we'll revisit at the end of next week to see what's the next step."

Lindor has been on the injured list since April 23 with a strained left calf. He suffered the injury while running the bases.

According to the Mets, Lindor will go through two similar simulated-game workouts next week with the goal of increasing his defensive innings to three, then five innings. By then, they hope to know whether he can go on a rehab assignment. But the simulated games are also intended to reduce the need for minor-league at-bats and innings in the field.

“We want to go as fast as possible, as smart as possible, and that’s a delicate line,” said Stearns, via MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo. “Our expectation is that he’s going to play games for us this month.”

Prior to going on the IL, Lindor had a slash line of .226/.314/.355 with 2 home runs, 2 doubles, 2 triples, 5 RBI and 2 stolen bases in 105 plate appearances. In his absence, Bo Bichette has played 36 games at shortstop, moving over from third base.

Advanced metrics confirm what most observers would have guessed in Bichette being a defensive downgrade. He’s credited with -4 Defensive Runs Saved and -2 Outs Above Average in 301 1/3 innings at shortstop, compared to Lindor’s 2 DRS and 3 OAA in 210 1/3 innings.

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