Francisco Lindor exited the Mets’ 11-3 victory over the Phillies on Friday night with what the team labeled as “lower back soreness.” He’s now listed as day-to-day. The National League MVP candidate revealed that he tweaked his back while attempting to stretch a hit into a double in the top of the sixth. Lindor was surprised by the close play and found himself reaching awkwardly for the bag at the last moment.

By then, it was too late to slide. Lindor lunged awkwardly, trying to keep his foot on the bag. He couldn’t quite make it. The result? He slipped past the base and was tagged out, leaving him in discomfort. To make matters worse, his back tightened up during the play, forcing him to exit early from the Mets’ 11-3 win over the Phillies. Lindor stayed in to play the bottom of the sixth defensively before exiting the game. By that point, the Mets were comfortably ahead 7-0.

Francisco Lindor’s potential return offers hope amid injury woes

That was the bad news for New York. The good news? Francisco Lindor is optimistic about his quick return. Officially listed as day-to-day with lower back tightness, Lindor is hopeful he can play as soon as Saturday. “I would hope so,” Lindor said. “I pride myself in trying to be available every day. I’m going to do whatever it takes today and tomorrow to be available.”

Lindor received treatment during the game and remains hopeful he’ll be back in the lineup on Saturday. The Mets can’t afford to lose their star shortstop, especially with second baseman Jeff McNeil out for the rest of the season. José Iglesias, filling in for McNeil, moved over to shortstop when Lindor left. Eddy Alvarez, who was acquired earlier this week, is the only other viable middle infielder on the active roster. “It takes a lot to get Francisco out of a game,” said outfielder Brandon Nimmo. Lindor has played in all 147 games this season. “We’re definitely concerned for him,” Nimmo added.

Francisco Lindor is on a mission to join an elite Mets club. He aims to become just the second player in franchise history to appear in every game of a 162-game season, joining Félix Millán in 1975. (John Olerud almost made the cut in 1999, playing in 162 of 163 games.) Lindor’s resilience this season has been impressive. The only time he missed a start was on May 2 against the Cubs due to a stomach virus. He didn’t let that stop him—coming off the bench in the sixth inning, he delivered a pair of clutch two-run doubles, including a dramatic walk-off winner.

As a top contender in what’s shaping up to be a tight NL MVP race, Lindor is putting up impressive numbers: .270/.341/.493 with 31 homers and 27 steals, all while showcasing Gold Glove-caliber defense. His rival, Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers, is slashing .290/.373/.613 with 47 homers and 48 steals. Before his early exit in Friday’s win, Lindor added two more hits, an RBI, and a run scored. His drive and determination are clear as he fights to stay in the lineup and lead the Mets through the final stretch of the season.

Mets face setback as key reliever Dedniel Núñez out for season

The New York Mets will have to navigate the rest of the season without a crucial piece of their bullpen. Dedniel Núñez, who had become a reliable set-up man for the Mets this summer, is sidelined for the remainder of the season due to a flexor injury in his right arm. Núñez received a platelet-rich plasma injection on Friday, a last-ditch effort to heal the injury and get him back on the mound. It’s a tough blow for the Mets as they push through the final stretch of the season. The rookie Núñez initially landed on the injured list in late July with a right pronator strain. The Mets were extra cautious, aware of his history of elbow surgeries and the heavy workload he’d been handling. They hoped that resting him would help him recover fully.

Núñez made a brief return just over a month later, pitching 1 2/3 innings against the Padres. However, he struggled to regain his form and was sidelined again with right forearm tightness. “Disappointing,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He’s been huge for us, and we had hope we’d get him back. It’s a big blow.”

Despite the setbacks, the Mets remained optimistic about his return, reassured by the absence of any major issues with his elbow ligament. Unfortunately, Núñez’s season is now over as he receives a platelet-rich plasma injection to address his flexor injury. It’s a tough loss for the Mets, who will miss his key contributions from the bullpen as they navigate the season’s final stretch.

With Dedniel Núñez and Lindor sidelined, the Mets are turning up the heat on their bullpen. Expect José Buttó, Phil Maton, Reed Garrett, and Ryne Stanek to step up and fortify the bridge to Edwin Díaz in the ninth inning. These relievers will need to deliver their best performances to keep the Mets competitive as they rely heavily on their late-game stability. The pressure is on, and these pitchers are poised to rise to the challenge. Will the Mets make it to the postseason?