New York Mets: Javier Baez has made difference with Francisco Lindor

It is safe to say that Francisco Lindor has not been what the New York Mets had hoped for. They had felt they had the answer at shortstop for the next decade, bringing in a bonafide star at the position. He was the crown jewel of what had been considered a stellar offseason, the proof that the Mets were actually ready to be a large market team.

Instead, Lindor has become one of the poster children for what has gone wrong this season. He has not lived up to expectations in his first season in New York, with his 102 OPS+ entering Friday the worst of his career. He was also in the center of the thumbs down nonsense, where several players on the Mets began to celebrate with that gesture to boo their fans.

Javier Bae bringing out Francisco Lindor New York Mets expected

But Lindor has been better since another move was made. The Mets, in their quest to reach the postseason, acquired Javier Baez at the trade deadline from the Cubs. Not only was Baez expected to solidify the middle of the Mets infield, but he also happens to be one of Lindor’s closest friends.

Baez may be making another difference that no one could have foreseen. Lindor is starting to look like the player that the Mets had expected. Since the beginning of September, he has posted a .267/.359/.574 batting line, hitting nine homers and four doubles. Although he has been caught in both of his stolen base attempts, Lindor is finally being the player that the Mets felt they had acquired.

It is understandable that he would have had a slow start. Lindor had spent his entire professional career in the Indians’ organization prior to his being traded. Not only did he find himself in an unfamiliar place, but he was also viewed as the missing piece of a championship puzzle. There was a lot of pressure on him before he ever took his first at bat with the team.

Maybe that pressure and the unfamiliar had gotten to Lindor. Maybe he just needed something, or someone, familiar that he could turn to. Baez has been just that. And that ability to get Lindor to play up to his capability could make him worth even more to the Mets to keep around after this year.

The New York Mets are getting the Francisco Lindor that they expected. It may be that bringing Javier Baez in unlocked his bat once more.