Francisco Lindor has been out of action since suffering a calf strain on April 22. Ishika Samant/Getty ImagesJune 18, 2026 5:01 pm EDT Updated PHILADELPHIA — Francisco Lindor’s long-awaited return to the Mets will take a big step forward on Friday, when the shortstop begins a rehab assignment with Double-A Binghamton. Lindor has been out since April 22 with a calf strain.The Mets have been confident that Lindor would return to big-league action by the end of this month.New York needs him. The Mets enter a weekend series with the Phillies at 33-41, last place in the National League East. Chief to blame has been an inconsistent offense that has paired its two best hitters, Lindor and Juan Soto, for all of eight games this season. (Lindor’s injury in April came the night Soto returned from missing 16 games with his own calf strain.) To this point, the Mets are 25-25 without Lindor.
Lindor was off to a slow start when he went down, carrying a .226 batting average, .314 on-base percentage and .355 slugging percentage through 105 plate appearances. He has just five RBIs this season.Any chance the Mets have in getting back into contention in the National League rests on Lindor, Soto and the recently red-hot Bo Bichette sparking an offense that sits 14th in the National League in runs per game.The Mets are also waiting on a return from Jorge Polanco, who is in the midst of his own minor-league rehab assignment. Polanco has played just 14 games this season.
