Lindor’s Grand Slam of a Lifetime

Francisco Lindor with the swing of a lifetime, came up big for the Mets, hitting a grand slam in the sixth inning of Game 4 of the NLDS - Image Credit: George Napolitano/Latino Sports

FLUSHING, NY — Bryce Harper said “That’s a really good team over there, they played well this series, they pitched well, hit the crap out of the baseball, timely hitting, everything you want to do as a playoff team.”

That was moments after the Phillies were eliminated from the postseason Wednesday evening at Citi Field, a 4-2 loss to the Mets in Game 4 of the NLDS. Nick Castellanos said the Mets were not the better team this season but they outplayed the Phillies.

The New York #Mets are heading to the #NLCS for the very first time since 2015, clinching the #NLDS tonight with a 4-1 Game 4 win on the #Phillies 🟠🔵

📸: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports #MetsWin #Postseason #LatinoSports pic.twitter.com/fA7KASvPjw

— Latino Sports (@LatinoSports) October 10, 2024

Regardless, the Mets move on during their magical run and advance to the NLCS Sunday evening, best four-of-seven and another west coast trip to either San Diego or Los Angeles. The improbable run for the Mets, 11 games under. 500 in mid May. Many believed this was another transitional year.

No more thoughts about transition. The Mets are four wins away from their first World Series since 2015, then another type of magical season with Daniel Murphy hitting home runs, a pitching staff of young studs including “The Dark Knight” Matt Harvey and a veteran manager Terry Collins. They failed to win their second World Series championship in franchise history coming up short to the Kansas City Royals.

But this transitional year has Francisco Lindor, an MVP of the Mets, though most likely will come up short for NL MVP because there is a player named Shohei Ohtani with the Dodgers. Lindor (2016 AL LatinoMVP) and Ohtani could meet next week in the NLCS. He could be opposing a Padres team with MVP numbers surrounding Manny Machado (2022 NL LatinoMVP) and Fernando Tatis Jr. (2020 NL LatinoMVP)

Doesn’t matter to Lindor and the Mets. They believe this magical run will continue, a team of destiny that wasn’t supposed to be here. Last of the NL Wild Card entrants in the postseason, a headline with the Detroit Tigers, a team also creating their magic in the American League postseason picture.

Lindor was the difference, he has been for the Mets with his MVP season. A leader and calling a team meeting in May and became a part of the resurgence. Citi Field erupted, the sellout crowd of 44,103, for Lindor who got hold of a Carlos Estévez fastball in the sixth inning. A grand slam home run to right-center field, the most significant home run of his career and in the 16-year history of Citi Field.

A memorable Mets moment that will live in franchise history and regardless where the Mets go from here, a home run that will be talked about in years to come, his second career grand salami in a postseason game.

Perhaps this home run is more memorable as the Pete Alonso go-ahead three-run opposite field homer in the ninth inning of NL Wild Card Series Game 3 that eliminated the Brewers.

A swing that will be memorable in Mets history. A swing that Lindor has been accustomed to doing, put in the leadoff position and catalyst to the Mets lineup.

“I want to win it all and ours will be a team that will forever be remembered,” Lindor said. “This will be a team that comes every 10 years and eats for free everywhere they go, And I want to do that. I want to do that. But the job is not done.”

Yes, the job is not done because the mission is to win a World Series, something that was highly improbable in May. Whether it was that team meeting or any other factors, the Mets continue to be the best team in baseball since mid June. Lindor for sure can eat anywhere he goes, one of the top five contracts in baseball and popularity of eating free anywhere he goes because he has popularity, and has become the best shortstop in Mets franchise history.

Owner Steve Cohen had a five year plan when his billionaire empire purchased the Mets in September of 2020, and said he was looking for a World Series title. The Mets have struggled, Cohen spent money. The best investment has been Lindor signing a $341 million contract.

Alonso said the home run was “the swing of a lifetime.” His manager Carlos Mendoza, who always said this team had resilience and were better than that record in May. He said about Lindor, “I keep saying you could write a book. You could make a movie.”

They are capable of reaching the World Series. New chapters in Mets franchise history with many contributing in this run, standing now as one playing deep in October.

Mendoza afterwards said, “This is not it. We’ve got to continue to ride the wave. We were one swing away, and today our MVP came through again. From the beginning nobody had us doing anything this year, it was supposed to be a transition year, and we kept believing and we knew we had really good players.”

Players like Lindor and Alonso who struggled but revived in the postseason, Brandon Nimmo, and David Stearns (Director of Baseball Operations) picking up the right pieces including José Iglesias, a journeyman of sorts who had a resurgence after spending numerous amounts of time in the minor leagues.

“Of course it was a team moment,” Stearns said of Lindor’s grand slam. “I don’t know that there’s another player in baseball you’d want at the plate right now in that situation.”

And five innings before the home run José Quintana held the Phillies, two hits and a run. The bullpen additions that Stearns acquired kept it close as the other investment Edwin Díaz closed the Phillies season.

And Lindor, that swing of a lifetime, perfect investment in the five-year plan of the owner to win a World Series, celebrating with his team as the bubbly flowed for a third time and looked at two more.

“Of course, why not in that situation he just comes through over and over again,” said Cohen about Lindor. “I want to sway the negative Mets fans perceptions and we are on the way of doing that so let’s keep this going.”

The Mets believe they will keep it going. They have Francisco Lindor and momentum also, a wild card team that eliminated the NL East division winning Phillies. They were the better team.

Rich Mancuso is a senior writer and contributor – Latinosports.com – X (Twitter): Ring786, Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso

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