PORT ST. LUCIE — From the moment he was told he needed surgery on his left hamate bone, Francisco Lindor fixated on the recovery time. Trainers provided the Mets shortstop a six-week pathway to return to play, and Lindor was determined to hit every marker.
He knows the culture of baseball has changed around him. “Workload management” has become as much a part of the game as the double play. Minor leaguers now have built-in off-days or DH days. Platoons in the majors are more prevalent than ever.
But Lindor’s greatest baseball influence is his father. He learned from Miguel Lindor that the job is to be available every day. That belief is in his soul. It is not just that he will lead off and play shortstop Thursday against the Pirates and Paul Skenes. In his mind, it is the first of 162 games he expects to play this year.
“I feel like when I am available, I am helping the team win,” Lindor said. “It is not so much that I’ve got to play. I want to play. To me, it’s a true testament of that I’m doing whatever it takes to help the team win.”
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