{"id":165012,"date":"2026-03-16T08:38:25","date_gmt":"2026-03-16T08:38:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=165012"},"modified":"2026-03-16T08:38:25","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T08:38:25","slug":"lindor-is-back-mets-fans-got-the-moment-they-were-waiting-for-as-francisco-lindor-returned-from-hand-surgery-and-wasted-no-time-delivering-a-hit-in-his-spring-debut-against-toronto-what-started-as-a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=165012","title":{"rendered":"LINDOR IS BACK: Mets fans got the moment they were waiting for as Francisco Lindor returned from hand surgery and wasted no time delivering a hit in his spring debut against Toronto. What started as a long recovery now feels like a powerful sign that one of New York\u2019s biggest stars is ready to make noise again..ll \ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/resizer\/v2\/3MOHI2WQRMEYRLSS7ASIQTXPSU.jpg?auth=98031ccdb075ef11c69a42460d1d9444e4a115d352f5b2000be98122bcb60963\" alt=\"New York Mets SS Francisco Lindor returns from hand surgery, records hit in spring  debut\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"relative basis-auto flex-col -mb-(--composer-overlap-px) [--composer-overlap-px:28px] grow flex\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col text-sm pb-25\">\n<article class=\"text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none [--shadow-height:45px] has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none has-data-writing-block:-mt-(--shadow-height) has-data-writing-block:pt-(--shadow-height) [&amp;:has([data-writing-block])&gt;*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]\" dir=\"auto\" tabindex=\"-1\" data-turn-id=\"request-WEB:4bfb171a-1031-4939-a93c-c7c997f1b2f5-17\" data-testid=\"conversation-turn-36\" data-scroll-anchor=\"true\" data-turn=\"assistant\">\n<div class=\"text-base my-auto mx-auto pb-10 [--thread-content-margin:var(--thread-content-margin-xs,calc(var(--spacing)*4))] @w-sm\/main:[--thread-content-margin:var(--thread-content-margin-sm,calc(var(--spacing)*6))] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-margin:var(--thread-content-margin-lg,calc(var(--spacing)*16))] px-(--thread-content-margin)\">\n<div class=\"[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 group\/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n<div class=\"flex max-w-full flex-col gap-4 grow\">\n<div class=\"min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal [.text-message+&amp;]:mt-1\" dir=\"auto\" data-message-author-role=\"assistant\" data-message-id=\"c94f0f85-4da0-43c0-a22d-d3fee2a55056\" data-message-model-slug=\"gpt-5-4-thinking\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden\">\n<div class=\"markdown prose dark:prose-invert w-full wrap-break-word light markdown-new-styling\">\n<p data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"470\"><strong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"94\">Francisco Lindor\u2019s spring return gave the Mets exactly what they needed most: reassurance.<\/strong> In his first Grapefruit League appearance since undergoing hand surgery on <strong data-start=\"170\" data-end=\"185\">February 11<\/strong>, the New York shortstop went <strong data-start=\"215\" data-end=\"244\">1 for 3 with a run scored<\/strong> in a rain shortened <strong data-start=\"265\" data-end=\"295\">8\u20131 win over the Blue Jays<\/strong> on Sunday, offering an encouraging sign that his recovery is moving on schedule ahead of <strong data-start=\"385\" data-end=\"431\">Opening Day on March 26 against Pittsburgh<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"472\" data-end=\"877\">For the Mets, this was about far more than one spring training box score. Lindor\u2019s return represented a major checkpoint after surgery on the <strong data-start=\"614\" data-end=\"646\">hamate bone in his left hand<\/strong>, an injury that initially came with a <strong data-start=\"685\" data-end=\"707\">six week timetable<\/strong> and created real concern about whether one of the club\u2019s most important players would be ready for the start of the regular season.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"879\" data-end=\"1198\">After the game, Lindor sounded upbeat and comfortable with where things stand. He said everything is moving in the right direction, added that he felt \u201cpretty much like myself,\u201d and emphasized that finishing the game healthy made the day an important positive step in his comeback.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1200\" data-end=\"1531\">That confidence was echoed by manager <strong data-start=\"1238\" data-end=\"1256\">Carlos Mendoza<\/strong>, who made it clear the Mets did not want Lindor playing tentatively. Mendoza said the club simply \u201clet him loose,\u201d and added that after watching Lindor\u2019s recent pregame work and activity on the back fields, he looked like himself again.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1200\" data-end=\"1531\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a2.espncdn.com\/combiner\/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2026%2F0315%2Fr1628961_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg\" alt=\"Mets SS Lindor has hit in spring debut after hand surgery - ESPN\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1533\" data-end=\"1996\">Those comments matter because Lindor is not just another starter easing through camp. He remains one of the central pillars of the Mets\u2019 roster, and last season he was once again everywhere for New York. In <strong data-start=\"1740\" data-end=\"1753\">160 games<\/strong> in 2025, he logged an <strong data-start=\"1776\" data-end=\"1810\">MLB high 762 plate appearances<\/strong> while hitting <strong data-start=\"1825\" data-end=\"1875\">.267 with 31 home runs, 86 RBIs, and 31 steals<\/strong>, production that underlined how much the Mets rely on his durability and presence.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1998\" data-end=\"2403\">The timing of this return is especially important because the calendar is no longer generous. Opening Day is now close enough that every healthy game rep matters, and Lindor\u2019s successful debut gives the Mets real reason to believe he can still be ready without needing to rush recklessly through the final phase of camp. That remains the biggest takeaway from Sunday.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2405\" data-end=\"2673\">In the end, the Mets did not need fireworks from Lindor in his first game back. They needed signs of comfort, rhythm, and health. They got all three. And with the season approaching fast, that may have been the most important development New York could have asked for.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"z-0 flex min-h-[46px] justify-start\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"mt-3 w-full empty:hidden\">\n<div class=\"text-center\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"pointer-events-none h-px w-px absolute bottom-0\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-edge=\"true\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Francisco Lindor\u2019s spring return gave the Mets exactly what they needed most: reassurance. In his first Grapefruit League appearance since undergoing hand surgery on February 11, the&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":165014,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-165012","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>LINDOR IS BACK: Mets fans got the moment they were waiting for as Francisco Lindor returned from hand surgery and wasted no time delivering a hit in his spring debut against Toronto. What started as a long recovery now feels like a powerful sign that one of New York\u2019s biggest stars is ready to make noise again..ll \ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47 - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=165012\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"LINDOR IS BACK: Mets fans got the moment they were waiting for as Francisco Lindor returned from hand surgery and wasted no time delivering a hit in his spring debut against Toronto. 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