Assessing Early Mets Concerns: Francisco Lindor’s Struggles Evaluated

The New York Mets fell 11-6 to the Oakland Athletics at Citi Field on Saturday. The loss dropped the Mets to 7-8 and extended their losing streak to four games.

Game context and early damage

Fans voiced displeasure early at Citi Field. Mistakes piled up in the first three innings and the crowd reacted vocally.

• Carson Benge made an error in left field in the first inning.
• Francisco Álvarez allowed a passed ball but hit his fourth homer of the season.
• Kodai Senga exited after 2 1/3 innings. He allowed eight hits, seven runs and two home runs.

Defense

Defensive lapses have been a clear issue in recent games. Several plays were missed and mental mistakes occurred.

• Multiple miscommunications and mental errors were noted, including plays beyond reach at first base.
• FanGraphs listed the Mets seventh in defensive runs saved entering Saturday.
• Corners look vulnerable due to players new at those spots. The middle infield projects as stronger.

Lineup

The offense has alternated between productive bursts and long droughts. Consistency remains a concern.

• The club went 17 straight scoreless frames between a Luis Robert Jr. homer and Bo Bichette’s RBI single.
• Juan Soto is on the injured list with a calf issue. He is expected to miss two to three weeks and has not resumed running.
• In seven full games without Soto, the Mets averaged 3.7 runs per game.
• Early individual numbers: Robert has a .905 OPS. Bichette is 14-for-42 (.333) in April’s first 10 games. Álvarez has four homers.
• Cold starts include Francisco Lindor (.167 average, .546 OPS, 0 RBIs), Marcus Semien (.200, .553 OPS) and Carson Benge (.140).
• Mark Vientos is hitless in his last four games (15 at-bats) and showed visible frustration.

Francisco Lindor

Lindor’s offensive struggles are visible, but the larger worry is the mental errors. Those mistakes are uncharacteristic for him.

• He has a cold start at the plate, but he has had slow openings in past seasons.
• Unusual lapses include getting picked off, being out of position, and forgetting outs.
• One play saw Lindor fail to cover second on a grounder, which prolonged an inning and cost a run.
• Managers and Lindor acknowledged the problem. He said he feels locked in but must be better.

Pitching staff

The rotation and bullpen have been inconsistent through 15 games. Staff health and command issues are central concerns.

• Kodai Senga struggled Saturday. He issued a bases-loaded walk for the first time in a game.
• Senga’s outing was the first time he allowed seven runs in a single appearance.
• Huascar Brazobán was warming before Senga recorded an out in the third inning.
• Clay Holmes is dealing with a hamstring issue but is expected to be lined up for his next start.
• David Peterson is coming off two poor starts, adding to rotation uncertainty.
• Luke Weaver allowed six runs over his last two appearances. Luis García’s ERA sits at 7.11 after a recent scoreless inning.
• The Mets added veteran Craig Kimbrel to the roster before the game. Richard Lovelady was designated for assignment. Kimbrel threw a scoreless inning with two strikeouts.

Big-picture takeaway

There is plenty of season left—roughly 147 games. Early struggles matter, but they do not yet define the campaign.

Filmogaz.com assessed early Mets concerns and tracked the issues. The most pressing problem now appears to be the pitching staff, followed closely by Lindor’s struggles at both plate and in the field.