Francisco Lindor knew something wasn’t right.
The $341 million shortstop felt some right side soreness during pregame stretching Friday and thus was removed from the Mets’ starting lineup, with a plan to undergo imaging Saturday morning.
He did not play in the 7-0 loss to the Braves, ending his streak of 223 consecutive games played.
“I felt something that I thought I wasn’t fully warm,” Lindor said. “I continued to go about my pregame stuff and then after that I walked in the training room and said, ‘It feels a little different. It doesn’t feel like every day. Let’s work through this and see where we’re at after.’ I trust their opinion and what they have in mind when they say, ‘Let’s not risk it today.’ ”
Lindor recalled a situation earlier in his career where he tried to play through injury “and it didn’t work out in my favor.” He missed five weeks with a right oblique strain in 2021 but wasn’t ready to face the possibility that this could be a recurrence — or even that he wouldn’t be available for Saturday’s doubleheader.
“I don’t want to get ahead of myself,” Lindor said. “I do feel better right now than I did earlier today, so hopefully this is a day-to-day thing. It doesn’t compare [to 2021]. That one, I felt bad. I could barely take off my shirt. Hopefully I can come in [Saturday] and play two.”
With the Mets scuffling to put together a major-league-caliber lineup, Lindor’s bat was sorely missed.
“The disappointment doesn’t come from not playing 162 [games],” Lindor said of his iron-man streak. “The disappointment comes from not being out there with the boys against a really good team. Coming out with a jersey not on me is a weird feeling. I don’t want to feel like that. I take a lot of pride in being there every single day.”
Buck Showalter indirectly teased a possible September shutdown for Kodai Senga.
Senga will make his 22nd start of the season and add to his 116 ²/₃ innings pitched Sunday on five days rest instead of four. Getting extra recovery days for Senga’s arm has been a major part of managing his first MLB season, after he became accustomed to pitching once per week in Japan.
“We’re making some plans down the road for him,” Showalter said.
Showalter declined to share the number the Mets’ brain trust has in mind for capping Senga’s innings.
“It’s smart to be sure we look at that and make sure it doesn’t sneak up on that, but he’s not close to that yet,” Showalter said. “It’s important, if you can, to manage the innings guys pitch in September.”
Brandon Nimmo, who has been bothered by a leg issue, was replaced in the eighth inning by DJ Stewart, and Jeff McNeil correspondingly shifted from right field for his MLB debut in center field.
“Just a precaution,” Showalter said of removing Nimmo. “A lot of guys this time of year are trying to play through some things.”
Showalter wanted to get Stewart an at-bat to test his wrist before Saturday’s doubleheader.
“[McNeil] can play about anywhere on the field,” Showalter said. “He’s another option for us if we have some issues with Nimmo as we go down the line. I know one thing: Nobody wants to play it more than him. He takes a lot of pride in being a versatile player.”
