Mets get ‘best news,’ Lindor expected back soon

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8 months ago

September 17, 2024

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Jorge Castillo, ESPN Staff WriterSep 16, 2024, 04:32 PM ET
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NEW YORK — Shortstop Francisco Lindor said he “should be back” before the regular season ends after an MRI exam on his lower back Monday revealed no structural damage, a huge relief for a New York Mets club jockeying for a playoff spot with less than two weeks remaining.

Lindor said he should start physical activity Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on how his back feels. He estimated he could return to the Mets’ lineup in the next two to five days. He said he assumes he will have to manage and tolerate pain whenever he does return.

Lindor said the expectation was he would need a shot for the pain, but doctors decided it wasn’t necessary. He was instead prescribed pain medication.

“We’ll see how I wake up [Tuesday],” Lindor said. “If the trainers allow me to move, I’m going to come in and force their hands. But I respect their decision. I respect the way they go about things. We have one of the best training staffs in the league, so I’ll listen to their input.”

Without Lindor, the Mets turned to Jose Iglesias both at shortstop and in the leadoff spot in Monday’s series opener against the Washington Nationals. The 34-year-old veteran answered by continuing his astounding rebound campaign, going 2-for-4 with a two-out, RBI infield single in the eighth inning to tie the game. Two innings later, Starling Marte, who entered as a pinch hitter in the eighth, delivered the Mets’ 11th walk-off win of the season in a 2-1 decision.

Coupled with the Atlanta Braves‘ loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Mets have a one-game lead for the final National League wild card with 12 games remaining.

“It was a great team win,” said Iglesias, who didn’t play in the majors in 2023 and is batting .323 in 220 at-bats since getting called up from Triple-A in late May. “It was pretty special.”

How much longer the Mets will be without their leader for this all-important stretch remains unclear.

Lindor said back pain has hindered him in recent weeks, but it didn’t impact his availability until the Mets’ series at the Philadelphia Phillies over the weekend. The discomfort forced him to leave Friday’s series opener early. He then missed Saturday’s game entirely — the first time he didn’t appear in a game this season. He led off Sunday’s game with a single, but he exited the game in the second inning. The Mets lost Saturday and Sunday after a blowout win Friday.

Lindor, 30, said he does not believe playing in Sunday’s game worsened the injury.

“I don’t think so because I felt fine,” Lindor said. “I felt good. It wasn’t like a freak accident where I just fell and [got] reinjured. It just got tight on me. So, I don’t think yesterday’s situation put me back. Next thing you know, I didn’t feel comfortable enough to stay on the field. When I can’t do what I love the most, which is play defense, that’s when I said something. I was a little timid taking ground balls.”

Lindor has been the engine in the club’s improbable turnaround from 11 games under .500 in late May as its leadoff hitter and defensive captain. Despite a woeful start to the season, which coaxed boos from home crowds, Lindor is batting .271 with 31 home runs, 27 stolen bases and an .836 OPS in 148 games while playing elite defense.

The consistent all-around performance, which has produced the highest fWAR and third-highest bWAR in the National League, spurred debate about Lindor possibly challenging Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani for NL MVP. But Ohtani was always considered the runaway favorite, and Lindor’s setback will all but squash his slim chances.

It could have been much worse. That’s what Mets manager Carlos Mendoza feared.

Lindor had missed six games over the past three seasons before not playing Saturday. For Lindor to not play Saturday and remove himself from Sunday’s game, Mendoza thought, it must have been a serious injury, the type of development that would have shattered the Mets’ season less than two weeks until the playoffs begin. But that didn’t happen. So, the Mets still have hope of not just reaching the postseason but of a deep October run with their best player on the field.

“I think we got the best news,” Mendoza said.

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Panthers handle Leafs, seal 3rd ECF trip in row

Published

11 hours ago

May 19, 2025

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Panthers handle Leafs, seal 3rd ECF trip in row

ESPN News Services

May 18, 2025, 10:22 PM ET

TORONTO — A three-goal second period broke open a tight game, quieted a raucous crowd at Scotiabank Arena, and powered the Florida Panthers past the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-1 in Game 7 of this Eastern Conference semifinal series on Sunday night.

Though it wasn’t the typical marquee names you see on the Florida scoresheet, Seth Jones, Anton Lundell and Jonah Gadjovich combined for those tallies, giving the Stanley Cup-champion Panthers a 3-0 lead headed into the third period. It was plenty of room for Florida to shut the door in the third period and seal a berth in the Eastern Conference finals for the third consecutive season. Florida will take on the Carolina Hurricanes in Round 3 beginning Tuesday.

The Maple Leafs, 2-0 winners in Game 6 Friday night in Sunrise, Florida, could not find enough time and space to operate in the Panthers’ zone. With 10 minutes left in regulation, Toronto had just 14 shots on net, with its season on the line, as boos rained down from the capacity crowd.

Eetu Luostarinen and Sam Reinhart chipped in with third-period goals for Florida, giving the champions a 5-1 lead after Toronto’s Max Domi scored at 2:07 of the final frame to briefly give the home team hope. Florida’s Brad Marchand added an empty-net goal to conclude the scoring.

“We’re excited about the opportunity,” Marchand said during the game broadcast on SportsNet. “We’re having fun, enjoying the moment, that’s all you can do. You don’t get a second chance at these opportunities. You just have to embrace and enjoy it.”

Goaltender Joseph Woll, who authored the shutout in Sunrise on Friday, struggled at home, looking out of position on several Florida goals. Anthony Stolarz, Toronto’s regular starter who had been sidelined since Game 1 with an undisclosed injury, was active and on the bench as Toronto’s backup for Game 7, but he was not called upon.

Florida goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky was much sharper on the other end of the ice, allowing only Domi’s goal off a wrist shot on a clean entry into the zone. Bobrovsky, who has started every postseason game for the Panthers this season, was playing in his first Game 7 since he led the Panthers to the Stanley Cup last June with a victory over the Edmonton Oilers in the series’ last game.

Jones, in his first season with Florida and seeking his first shot at the Stanley Cup, opened the scoring with his third goal of the postseason.

“I’m just happy with the situation I’m in,” Jones said on TNT’s postgame show. “Hopefully, my game can grow, and I’m just trying to bring what I can to the table with this team. I’m playing with a lot of great players, and these guys know what it takes to win.”

The game was delayed in the second period, just before Florida’s goal-scoring spree, after referee Chris Rooney, widely considered to be one of the top officials in the NHL, was bloodied and had to leave. The longtime referee was hit by an inadvertent stick to the face.

The play happened 13 seconds into the second period, when Florida’s Niko Mikkola was jousting for the puck and his stick went into Rooney’s face. Rooney skated off with some assistance and with a towel covering much of his face as he was brought to the locker room area for further evaluation and treatment.

The NHL has stand-by officials at playoff games, and Garrett Rank took over as one of the two referees following Rooney’s injury, joining a crew that also included referee Jean Hebert and linespersons Devin Berg and Jonny Murray.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Referee Rooney leaves Game 7 after stick to face

Published

11 hours ago

May 19, 2025

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Referee Rooney leaves Game 7 after stick to face

Associated Press

May 18, 2025, 09:12 PM ET

TORONTO — Referee Chris Rooney, widely considered to be one of the top officials in the NHL, was bloodied and had to leave Game 7 of the Florida Panthers–Toronto Maple Leafs playoff matchup Sunday night after taking an inadvertent stick above one of his eyes.

The play happened 13 seconds into the second period of the Panthers’ 6-1 win when Florida’s Niko Mikkola was jousting for the puck and his stick hit Rooney’s face.

The game was stopped for several minutes and a stretcher was brought onto the ice, but Rooney skated off with some assistance and with a towel covering much of his face as he was brought to the locker room area for further evaluation and treatment.

Rooney got stitches and was ruled out for the remainder of the game.

The NHL has standby officials at playoff games, and Garrett Rank took over as one of the two referees following Rooney’s injury, joining a crew that also included referee Jean Hebert and linesmen Devin Berg and Jonny Murray.