Francisco Lindor Acknowledges Mistakes in Mets’ Extra-Inning Loss to Cardinals

Mental lapses can be a part of the game early in the season, but it’s unusual to see them from a seasoned veteran like Francisco Lindor. On Wednesday, the Mets’ shortstop found himself at the center of attention for the wrong reasons during a frustrating afternoon against the Cardinals, where the offense struggled to find its rhythm.

In the first inning, Lindor had a chance to execute an inning-ending double play. However, instead of focusing on the task at hand, he jogged to second base for the out and turned to the dugout, forgetting the number of outs. This lapse forced starter Freddy Peralta to throw five additional pitches.

“The groundball is the one that’s no excuses,” said Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, reflecting on the error. “He’ll be the first one that tells you that.” Lindor indeed took responsibility after the Mets fell 2-1 in extra innings, admitting, “I made a mistake that probably cost Peralta to go an extra inning because he had to throw more pitches after that. Inexcusable. He probably could have gone six, maybe seven. I just forgot the outs.”

Fortunately for the Mets, the mistake did not directly lead to any runs, as Peralta managed to strike out the next batter and completed the inning. He ended the day with an impressive 92 pitches over 5.1 innings, allowing just one run. Yet, the Mets’ offense, which had shown promise in their Opening Day victory, continued to falter.

In the sixth inning, with the game still scoreless, Lindor reached base due to an error but was picked off without even attempting a slide. Just moments later, Juan Soto homered, giving the Mets a brief lead. However, the Cardinals tied it up later in the inning and ultimately claimed victory in the 11th inning.

“The pickoff, they got us there,” Mendoza noted. “Lindor was going to go; we thought we had a tip there, and they got us with a quick step-off move. I wouldn’t consider that one as a mental mistake. He was trying to get some momentum there and be aggressive.” Lindor reflected on the play, stating simply, “I should have been better. That’s all I got.”

Had the Mets secured a win, these errors might have been overlooked, but the loss amplifies the scrutiny on a team that has struggled offensively. After a strong start with 11 runs against the Pirates, New York has managed only 12 runs over the next five games. On Wednesday, the team went 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position and left 11 runners stranded.

Despite the early-season struggles, Lindor remains optimistic. “Our pitchers have done a tremendous job. We gotta score runs for them,” he said. “It’s one of those that you hope to put it together as many times as you can during the year. We have put it together, just not every day. Gotta go out there, continue to believe in each other, pass the baton. I trust the guy behind me more than I trust myself. It’s that type of mentality. We’re going to be on top more times than not.”

The Mets will look to turn things around as they head to San Francisco for a four-game series against the Giants starting Thursday.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.