Francisco Lindor returned to Progressive Field for the first time since being traded to the New York Mets and had a disappointing performance at the plate, going hitless in four at-bats as the Mets fell to the Cleveland Guardians 3-1. Lindor, who heard a mix of cheers and boos from the crowd, struggled along with the rest of the Mets lineup, which has been in a slump lately, losing eight of their last 11 games. Starling Marte was ejected in the fourth inning for arguing a strikeout call by the umpire.
The Guardians took an early lead, scoring two runs in the first inning off Mets pitcher Tylor Megill, who allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits over five innings. A costly error by Brandon Nimmo in left field led to an unearned run for the Guardians in the first inning. David Fry’s two-run single gave Cleveland the lead, while a solo home run by Tomas Nido in the third inning put the Mets on the board. However, the Mets struggled on the bases, with two runners being thrown out in the second inning.
Despite the Mets’ defensive struggles, they were unable to mount a comeback as the Guardians extended their lead with another run in the fourth inning on an RBI double by Kyle Manzardo. Megill was able to settle down after a rough start and strike out Josh Naylor to strand a runner on base. The Mets had a chance to cut into the lead in the sixth inning, loading the bases with two outs, but Brett Baty struck out to end the threat.
Overall, it was a frustrating night for the Mets, as they were unable to generate much offense against the Guardians pitching staff. Lindor’s struggles at the plate continued, as he saw his batting average drop to .193 on the season. The Mets will need to find a way to get their offense going if they hope to turn their season around and make a push for a playoff spot. Despite the loss, Lindor was greeted warmly by the Cleveland fans, showing that he is still beloved in his former city.
