LINDOR DOES IT ALL
Blasts three HRs, touches off near brawl as Mets take Subway finale
Crosstown rivals in pennant races. Pimping home runs. Taunting. Rowdy crowd. Emotions running high. Trolling. Longest nine-inning game in Subway Series history.
Welcome to New York, baby. Francisco Lindor stole the show and the game with his signature Mets moment – a three HR night – to send the Amazin’s to a 7-6 victory over the Yankees on Sunday at Citi Field. Lindor became the first player to crush three home runs in a Subway Series matchup, and he settled a heated feud between the Mets and Yankees by letting the ball do the talking.
Lindor’s solo home run off Chad Green in the eighth inning went to the second deck in right field to break the tied game and give the Mets the lead. He put his hand to ear as he left the box, as the raucous crowd went berserk for the $341 million shortstop.
The benches cleared in the top of the seventh inning after Giancarlo Stanton mashed a game-tying two-run home run off Brad Hand. Stanton rounded second base and stopped to say something to Lindor at shortstop. The two All-Stars jawed at each other as dugouts and bullpens emptied. Stanton eventually turned around and finished his home-run trot while his teammates crowded around Lindor and Javier Baez. Brett Gardner gave a thumbs down in Baez’s and Lindor’s direction, referencing the controversy that took place late last month.
The feud calmed down shortly after, but the Subway Series rivalry was alive and well.
Lindor started the taunting on Sunday in the sixth inning, after he crushed his second home run of the game to extend the Mets lead. He blew a whistle at the Yankees during his trip around the bases, mocking the Bombers for blowing whistles during Saturday’s game. The Yankees reportedly picked up on Taijuan Walker tipping his pitches in the first inning Saturday before third baseman Jonathan Villar alerted the Mets pitcher of the opposing teams tactics.
The Mets (72-72) took two out of three from the Yankees over the weekend as Edwin Diaz collected his 29th save of the season.
Diaz momentarily made a mess of things, allowing DJ LaMahieu to single and walkling Anthony Rizzo, before he struck out Gardner and Stanton to end the game 15 minutes after midnight.
It was the first time since 2004 the Mets won a series at home against the Yankees (79-64).
Both New York teams, sitting in third place in their respective divisions, are vying for October baseball with three weeks to qualify. Sunday night’s emotional game was a turning point for the Mets, in terms of momentum before continuing their homestand against the Cardinals tonight,.
For Brandon Nimmo and his rehab from a recent hamstring strain, everything is trending toward joining the active roster sooner than anticipated.
“I know I’ve definitely surprised them,” Nimmo said Sunday at Citi Field. “Things have been going really, really well.”
Nimmo went on the 10-day injured list on Sept. 4, between games of a doubleheader at Nationals Park. From the moment he was sidelined, with his second injury of the season, Nimmo was hopeful he would return to the lineup on or around the minimum 10 days. The center fielder takes his physical health and conditioning seriously enough that he knew the cards were stacked in his favor once he sustained a muscle injury.
On Sunday, before the Subway Series finale, Nimmo said his expectation is that he will come off the IL this week. The earliest he can return to the lineup is Wednesday, and Nimmo is hoping to avoid a rehab assignment so he can help the Mets in their final push to the playoffs.
Jacob deGrom (right UCL sprain) is continuing to throw off flat ground as his rehab from a second-half injury proceeds at a glacial pace. The Mets expect him to throw off a mound this week, manager Luis Rojas said on Sunday. But there is still no definitive timeline on his return, as the calendar continues to work against him. The two-time Cy Young winner last started for the Mets on July 7.
Noah Syndergaard (Tommy John rehab) is expected to face hitters this week, Rojas said. The right-hander was forced to take a few steps back from his encouraging rehab start in August after testing positive for COVID-19 on his 29th birthday. He has since recovered and thrown two bullpen sessions. Syndergaard wants to pitch for the Mets before the season is over, but he is likely to do that from the bullpen only, due to his limited arsenal.