David Stearns on Francisco Lindor’s year – “One I’ve never experienced before”

NEW YORK — The Mets entered Tuesday half a game out of a playoff spot, 10 games above .500 for the first time all season. That position seemed unimaginable when Jorge Lopez threw his glove into the crowd at Citi Field as the team slipped to 11 games under .500 in late May.

It was a turnaround full of good vibes, an improved starting lineup and a strong cast led by shortstop Francisco Lindor, who became Shohei Ohtani's biggest rival for the NL MVP title after a weak start to the season.

“It's been an incredible season,” Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said Tuesday. “I think we're getting to the point where we're talking about maybe the best season by an individual outfielder in the history of this franchise. I've experienced some really special seasons. I've experienced some MVP seasons. This season is at the top of the list of things I've experienced on a day-to-day basis.”

Stern's main job is to build a roster based on player value ratings. What does the most valuable player look like?

“I think he looks like the guy who runs out at 7 o'clock as a shortstop,” Stearns said of Lindor with a smile.

Of course, Stearns' view is biased – and appears to be in the minority.

Ohtani is coming off a historic offensive season in his first year with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have the best record in baseball. He leads the NL in home runs, slugging, OPS, OPS+, runs scored and total bases. He is already the first player in MLB history to have 44 home runs and 46 stolen bases in a season. At this point, it's only a matter of when, not if, he will become the first player to ever have a 50-50 season.

He is the overwhelming favorite to win NL MVP after winning the award twice in the AL with the Angels.

But Ohtani, who is recovering from elbow surgery, was the Dodgers' designated hitter all season and won't pitch again until 2025. And that's precisely the most important argument for Lindor: He plays defense – at an elite level and a premium position – and Ohtani hasn't played everything.

Lindor's contributions on both sides are why he leads the NL in fWAR (7.0) ahead of Ohtani (6.6). He entered Tuesday with a .271 batting average, 29 home runs and an .835 OPS while starting all 138 of the Mets' games at shortstop. Those numbers include a terrible start to the season that kept him off the NL All-Star team. The results reversed when he moved into the leadoff spot on May 18; since Tuesday's move, he's batting a .305 batting average with 22 home runs and an .926 OPS in 94 games.

His defensive numbers are far less precise, but his 17 outs above average ranks him second among major league shortstops behind Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. And then there are his intangibles as a veteran who is widely considered a top-notch leader.

“I think that's part of the total package that he brings,” Stearns said. “And it's easy to quantify what he does on the field, and that's really impressive. It's a lot harder to quantify the impact that he has both through what he says and his actions. He works so hard. He takes so much pride, not only in his preparation, but in making sure his teammates prepare appropriately. And it's the total package that I think allows him to contribute so much to the organization.”

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora beamed Tuesday as he spoke about Lindor from the other team's dugout. He recalled meeting Lindor in Puerto Rico as a minor leaguer when Lindor was a Little Leaguer. He knows the Lindor family, also from the city of Caguas, well. Lindor's re-emergence as an MVP candidate in his fourth season in New York fills him with pride.

“He's just an influential person,” said Cora. ​​”He has a charisma that not many guys in the big leagues have. From the walk-up song, [when] everything is going crazy here, from his smile to the energy to his commitment to his structure to his discipline. This kid is on point with everything. Watching him play is just a joy. We love watching him play.

Does he think Lindor is the MVP of the NL?

“I'm glad I don't have to choose,” said Cora. ​​”But both [are] Game changer. We saw Othani earlier in the season. There are a lot of good players in the National League.

“Obviously, at the end of the day, the playoffs are going to matter. I don't think that's necessarily something that voters have to consider, because if you have a great season and you're in contention until the end, then you've done something great. But it's going to be interesting. But the kid does everything.”