Mets Francisco Lindor Does His Own Willis Reed Impression, While Peterson Shuts Down Brewers

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The 2024 New York Mets heart and soul of the team has been Francisco Lindor, ever since he turned his season around in June. But as the Mets were in the thick of the postseason hunt in September, Lindor suffered an injury to his lower back, which put him on the sidelines from September 16 to the 26th.

With Lindor out, the Mets kept winning and managed to go 6-2 in his absence, which kept them in the thick of the Wild Card race. But without their star, there was really no guarantee they could keep winning.

Lindor returned to the Mets lineup on Friday against the Milwaukee Brewers, with the Mets needing just two wins to secure a playoff spot. Lindor showed up in four at bats, with two singles. The all star shortstop shared with the media that he felt good enough to play, even with the back not at 100%.

The return of Lindor did not help the Mets, as they dropped the first of three games with the Brewers, losing 8-4. On Saturday, with Lindor at DH, the Mets offense did not show up, dropping the game 6-0, while managing only two hits in the game.

THAT’S A W!!! #MetsWin #LGM pic.twitter.com/eMqHhYsMd7

— New York Mets (@Mets) September 29, 2024

With their backs against the wall and needing a win to keep their postseason hopes alive, Lindor started at shortstop and led off the game with a walk. On the very next pitch, Lindor, even with a sore back, stole his 29th base of the season.  After Jose Iglesias grounded out, Brandon Nimmo lined an RBI single to center field, scoring Lindor from second. After Lindor dove ahead of the throw to the plate, he crawled on his knees and had to be helped up by next batter, Mark Vientos. A sign that Lindor was still struggling with his back, while giving the Mets a Willis Reed effort.

The Mets added four more runs over six innings, capped off by Lindor’s 32nd home run of the season. The rest of the Mets offense also showed up, with two hits each for Iglesias, Mark Vientos, Francisco Alvarez, and J.D. Martinez, who finally ended his hitless streak with a double and Iglesias extended his hitting streak to 20 games.

On the mound, David Peterson put the Mets on his back and tossed seven shutout innings, allowing just one hit, while striking out eight batters.

What’s Next

With the Arizona Diamondbacks win on Sunday and the Braves loss, all three teams remain tied for two Wild Card Spots. The Mets will travel to Atlanta on Monday for a doubleheader needing just one win to snag a postseason spot.

Since the Braves and Mets both own a tie breaker over the Dbacks, a split of the doubleheader will allow both the Mets and Braves to get in.  It will need to take a doubleheader sweep for the Diamondbacks to get in the postseason.

All eyes will be on Monday’s Doubleheader.

David Conde

David is the Founder and Co-Owner of Legends On Deck and Co-Host of the Legends On Deck Podcast. A lifelong sports fan with a special passion for the New York Mets and New York Knicks, David has spent more than a decade covering the sports he loves. From 2010 to 2014, he served as a Senior Editor for MetsMerized Online and Mets Minors, and in June 2014 fulfilled a lifelong dream by covering the New York Mets at Citi Field as a credentialed writer. As Legends On Deck has expanded beyond baseball, David has enjoyed diving into more sports, learning along the way and sharing those stories with readers and listeners. Married for over 27 years and the proud father of two adult sons, he continues to connect with sports fans through Legends On Deck, the podcast and social media.