Shortstop Francisco Lindor will look to lead the New York Mets again on Saturday when they visit the Miami Marlins.
Lindor had four RBIs on Friday night as the Mets won the opener of a three-game series, 5-3.
It was the second time he drove in four runs since he accidentally slammed a hotel door on his right middle finger, but he hasn’t let that deter him.
“Be careful with double doors,” Lindor joked on Friday after his big game. “The second thing I learned is that it’s just a finger. Other people have bigger problems in life.
“I’m the type of player who will do anything to win.”
That’s been evident all season. Lindor is hitting just .246, but he has 12 homers, 56 RBIs and a .750 OPS. His career high for RBIs was 92 with Cleveland in 2018, and he is well ahead of that pace.
“He’s hot right now,” said Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara, who took the loss on Friday when he gave up a solo home run and a bases-clearing double to Lindor. “He got me. He hit the ball hard. I want to give him some credit.”
Marlins left-hander Trevor Rogers (3-6, 5.83 ERA) will try Saturday to contain Lindor, who is a switch hitter.
Lindor is dangerous from either side, posting an .810 OPS as a righty hitter and .824 from the left.
Rogers will face the Mets for the second time this week. The Mets beat him 6-0 on Monday as Rogers allowed four runs (three earned) in five innings.
For his career, however, Rogers is 2-1 with a 2.16 ERA in five starts against the Mets. He has 34 strikeouts in 25 innings.
The Marlins are just 4-9 this year when Rogers starts. He hasn’t lasted six innings since accomplishing the feat on April 28.
New York will counter Rogers with right-hander Chris Bassitt (5-5, 4.03).
Bassitt has faced the Marlins only once, last Sunday, when Miami beat him 6-2. He allowed five hits, two walks and three runs in 6 1/3 innings, striking out a season-high nine batters.
The Mets are 8-6 when Bassitt starts, but the veteran has lost three of his past four outings.
Injuries figure to play a role in Saturday’s game.
The Marlins are especially vulnerable in their infield, where Brian Anderson and Joey Wendle are on the injured list.
In addition, Miami played Friday without shortstop Miguel Rojas, who was scratched due to a bone contusion in his right foot. In the fifth inning, Miami suffered another infield injury as second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. left the game due to back spasms.
“That foot (injury) is probably something (Rojas) will have to play with, but (Friday) he didn’t feel like he could go,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “He felt like with a day off, he could be back out there (Saturday).
“With Jazz, hopefully we got him out of there in time and he gets treatment. He got tight in his second at-bat.”
The Mets got starting catcher James McCann back from the injured list on Friday, although he did not play. Mets manager Buck Showalter said McCann will start on Saturday, making his return from a broken left wrist he suffered on May 11.
New York also got key reliever Seth Lugo back from paternity leave on Friday.
–Field Level Media
