Francisco Lindor Return to Cleveland Emotional & Eventful

The reunion episode started with hugs and cheers and ended with bows and boos.

Francisco Lindor on Monday made his first return to the city where he started his baseball career in 2015. In six seasons in Cleveland, the shortstop led the then-Indians to the World Series, made four All-Star teams, and won a pair of Gold Gloves and Silver Sluggers.

“Well, I walked in through a different route,” he told reporters before the game. “Usually I come in through a players’ parking lot, this time I came through a tunnel. So it was different. But I missed it. I missed it. This was my home for awhile. And it feels great to be here for sure.”

He shared pre-game hugs with Guardian third baseman José Ramírez and with retired ex-Met reliever Tommy Hunter.

Batting leadoff in the top of the first, he gestured toward someone in the Guardians’ dugout and pounded his heart before he stepped into the batter’s box. The crowd gave him a warm ovation. He struck out. He went 0-for-4 in the 3-1 loss, dropping his batting average to a dismal .193 and his OPS to .616. Of 162 qualified players, Lindor is 154th in batting average and 139th in OPS.

While Lindor has scuffled all year with the bat, his defense has stayed solid and he made a spectacular play in the eighth inning. The speedy Tyler Freeman grounded a ball into the hole that Lindor backhanded and he made a jump throw from the outfield grass for the out.

Freeman was initially ruled safe, but the Mets challenged the call and it was overturned. When the umpire announced the ruling, Lindor celebrated with a fist pump and a couple of bows. The crowd booed. Mets fans on social media mostly didn’t care for it either, given Lindor’s struggles at the plate and that the team was trailing 3-1 at the time.

“We didn’t play well,” manager Carlos Mendoza said post-game. “We made a couple mistakes. They made us pay. It wasn’t a good game.”

Lindor was traded to the Mets in 2021 with Carlos Carrasco, who is now back in Cleveland and will be starting on Tuesday against his friend. (Edit: Carrasco was scratched from his start with neck spasms.)

“I mean, that’s my brother, that’s my brother,” Lindor told reporters before Monday’s game. “We got sent to New York together and he saw my best moments here, my worst moments here in Cleveland. And he saw some of my best moments in New York and some of my worst moments in New York as well. So yeah, there’s a lot of emotions whenever I see somebody that literally this is the first year he’s not next to me in my 10-year career. So it was special to see him … Carrasco is my brother for sure.”

In Lindor reunion, episode 2, New York (21-26) on Tuesday will try to avoid going six games under .500 for the first time this year. The Mets have gone 9-18 since being a season-high four games over .500 at 12-8.

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