NEW YORK, NY — Sudden injuries and flare ups are bound to occur to each and every Major League Baseball clubhouse throughout the course of spring training leading up to the regular season, it’s a given.
Most Mets players had not reported to the Mets spring training base in Port St. Lucie, Florida when the first injury to a key player was reported. Shortstop Francisco Lindor, who underwent off-season surgery to remove fragments in his right elbow in October, went under the knife again last Wednesday to repair a broken hamate bone in his left hand.
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The hamate is small and delicate cartilage, so it is not surprising it is a common injury given how often players grip bats and baseballs. Other major leaguers in 2026 who faced the same diagnosis as Lindor were the sluggers from the Baltimore Orioles, Jackson Holliday, and Arizona Diamondbacks’ Corbin Carroll.
Mets executives are optimistic Lindor will be ready to go by Opening Day, and with a little luck he should be able to get in a few reps during spring training with his new double play teammate, second baseman Marcus Semien.
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Even if the best-case scenario were to occur, it would be advisable for both Mets management and Lindor, who already returned to camp, not to rush things. Mets catcher Francisco Álvarez underwent a similar medical procedure last spring. He hurried back and his offense and defense were both so poor that he got demoted to the Mets’ Syracuse farm team.
It is also a long season. Lindor frequently has gotten off to cold starts which match the April weather in Queens. When healthy, Lindor almost never misses a game. A shortened season would benefit him, and it would especially pay dividends if the Mets were to make it to the postseason.
Lindor’s absence creates an opportunity for perennial Mets prospect Ronny Mauricio to finally prove himself.
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For years, Mauricio was considered the top prospect in the Mets’ minor league system and was considered untouchable when other teams brought his name up in trade talks.
While Mauricio has shown flashes of the five-tool player the Mets executives have been expecting, the reality is that his offense has not been good enough to stay in Flushing. In fairness, Mauricio may not have gotten the at-bats he has needed to get established against big-league pitching because of the glut of infielders on the Mets roster. With Luisangel Acuña dispatched to the Chicago White Sox in the Luis Robert trade, Mauricio should have no trouble getting playing time.
Watching MLB Spring Training from Home
SNY will televise eight Mets spring training games, with the first being this Saturday against the Miami Marlins, and WPIX will broadcast five games. Mets fans will get a bonus game this Sunday when the YES Network shows the Mets taking on the Yankees in Tampa.
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WPIX will return the favor to Yankees fans two weeks later when the Bronx Bombers visit Port St, Lucie. You can also catch select Mets and Yankees spring training games on the MLB Network.
Braves pitching coach Jeremy Hefner pokes fun at Mets
Former Mets pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, who was hired by the Atlanta Braves shortly after being dismissed by Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns last fall, found himself back on the minds of Mets fans and the media, referring to the Mets as “the team up north” as he refused to call them by their proper name. It is hard to believe how many people got worked up over this. Hefner was clearly being cheeky.
Yankees sign Rafael Montero to minor league contract
The Yankees have invited 35-year-old pitcher Rafael Montero to take part in their spring training camp. The well-traveled Montero was once considered the Mets best pitching prospect in his early 20s. He was ahead of Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, and Zack Wheeler on the team’s depth chart. Montero could throw in the upper 90s, but his control was, shall we say, inconsistent.
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Mets management’s patience understandably wore thin.
Chris Paul announces his retirement from NBA after 21 seasons
It is the end of an era in the NBA as Chris Paul, a 21-year veteran in the league, used the All-Star Game break to announce his retirement. In addition to his stellar playing career, which will certainly get him inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, Paul was also a respected president of the National Basketball Association, and an excellent pitchman for State Farm.
Nigel Sylvester takes part in NBA’s All-Star celebrity three-point shooting contest
Laurelton native, and professional bike racer on the BMX tour, Nigel Sylvester was one of the luminaries who took part in the NBA’s All-Star celebrity three-point shooting contest.
Dale Earnhardt’s legacy 25 years after his death
The 2026 Presidents Day weekend marked the 25th anniversary of a horrific crash in the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 which claimed the life of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt. FOX Sports’ cable outlet, FS1, last week debuted a documentary, “We’ve Lost Dale Earnhardt.”
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The doc relives that terrible day in Northeast Florida, but it also examines the profound effect Earnhardt had in popularizing stock car racing.
Professional Women’s Hockey League set to make its debut at Madison Square Garden on April 4th
These are heady times for the Professional Women’s Hockey League which is now in its third season The PWHL’s local franchise, the New York Sirens, will play at Madison Square Garden on April 4. It marks the debut of the PWHL at the “World’s Most Famous Arena.” There are many PWHL players participating in the Olympics in Milan. Finally, the Peacock streaming service is showing a documentary, “The Inaugural Season of the PWHL.”
Peacock launches series, “Field Generals” in honor of Black History Month
In honor of Black History Month, Peacock has launched a series, “Field Generals,” which looks at the history of African-American quarterbacks in the National Football League from pioneers Marlin Briscoe and James Harris to Doug Williams, who became the first quarterback of color to win a Super Bowl, to today’s signal callers such as Caleb Williams, Justin Fields, Malik Willis, and Lamar Jackson.
ESPYs to return to New York on July 15th, 2026
ESPN’s annual awards ceremony, the ESPYs, will be returning to New York for the first time in years. It will take place the day after the MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia.
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The return of the ESPYs is tied to a joint venture between ESPN, and the sports memorabilia and marketing firm, Fanatics. The annual Fanatics Fest will take place the four days following the ESPYs at Javits Center.
Cris Collinsworth stars in Intuit Super Bowl commercial
NBC Sports “Sunday Night Football” analyst Cris Collinsworth starred in a Super Bowl ad for Intuit’s TurboTax. Collinsworth was an Accounting major at the University of Florida and therefore studied taxation.
I asked Collinsworth if Intuit was aware of his knowledge of taxation, and if that played a part in his hire. “I don’t think they knew, nor do I think they would have cared! It was a silly, but fun, ad,” he chuckled.
Craize Toasted Snack Crackers: A solid choice for a healthier alternative to potato chips
If you are looking for a healthier alternative to potato chips, Craize Toasted Snack Crackers is a solid choice. The cracker-chip hybrid is fire-griddled instead of fried. There are a variety of flavors, including many designed for the Hispanic palate such as jalapeno, sweet corn, coconut, and guava. They are also kosher. Craize was a gold award winner at the Specialty Foods’ Winter Foods Faire convention in San Diego last month.
You can read more of Lloyd Carroll’s columns posted weekly on The Queens Chronicle.
