At one point, it seemed as if the Philadelphia Phillies would have a tough road towards a third straight NL East crown. However, as the Atlanta Braves succumb to yet another crushing wave of injuries, it looks as if the New York Mets might be their only real challenger.
In order for the Mets to put up a real fight, they'll need their stars to play up to the level their reputations suggest. If Francisco Lindor's performance in the series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals is any indication, that's not gonna happen.
Lindor looked as if he wanted to be anywhere else in the world other than Busch Stadium, as his lackadaisical play led to two unforgivable gaffes. In the top of the first inning with one out and a man on first, he nonchalantly fielded Alec Burleson's ground ball up the middle and jogged to get the force at second, apparently forgetting how many outs there were and failing to make the throw to first for what should have been an inning-ending double play. But, to be fair, it had been a long game (checks notes) oh, no, right, it was the FIRST INNING.
Later in the top of the sixth with the score still tied at 0-0, Lindor reached on a fielding error by Nolan Gorman and then was promptly picked off first by pitcher Matthew Liberatore. Caught flat-footed despite his dangerously long lead, Lindor just stood there and accepted his fate without trying to get back to first or get into a run-down and hope to force the Cardinals to make an error.
It was a delightful showing for Phillies fans, and hints that the Mets' internal issues might lead to their undoing and another disappointing campaign.
Francisco Lindor drama continues and Phillies fans are loving it
Lindor had been at the center of the Mets' drama that led to their 2025 collapse and some of the roster turnover they underwent in the offseason. He allegedly had issues with players like Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil, both of whom were shipped out, and more importantly, his relationship with Juan Soto has been described as "chilly."
Lindor has served as New York's de facto captain for years, though in light of all the turmoil, owner Steve Cohen came out this winter and stated that there will not be a captain as long as he owns the team. Previous indications had been that the club would bestow that honor, last held by David Wright, on the star shortstop.
“I respect it,” Lindor said after Cohen's announcement. “This is definitely a Steve, front-office type decision. I respect it. At the end of the day … being named captain or not, I’m still going to act the same. This is not something that’s going to make me somebody different. So I respect it. I’m glad he put everything to bed, so that way we can stop talking about this. And move on.”
The previous year, when rumors were heating up that his leadership would be recognized with the honor, Lindor said, “I do feel like I’m one of the leaders of the team. … If it does happen, it would be an honor. It would be a privilege. It’s something I would never take for granted.”
Apparently, displaying leadership means a half-hearted effort and forgetting how many outs there are when the game has just started. Not a good look for someone who views themselves as a leader, title or not.
Perhaps the Mets jettisoned the symptoms of their problem while keeping the root cause, and if that happens, locker room fractures are inevitable. Those can derail a season, just as they contributed to New York's tailspin a year ago.
Furthermore, when they manifest themselves in poor play on the field, the losses will start piling up and what's bubbling behind the scenes will only get worse. The Mets might be in for yet another disappointing season, and the Phillies can sit back and watch as the last remaining threat in the NL East self combusts.