Lindor returns in rehab as Mets face timeline

Lindor rehab – Francisco Lindor, sidelined since April 22 with injury, took his first rehab assignment at Double-A on Friday night with the Binghampton Rumble Ponies, going 1-for-4 with a single and scoring after reaching base. The Mets have won two straight and three of the

Francisco Lindor hasn’t played in the big leagues since April 22. and the Mets have felt every absence of their star shortstop. On Friday night, though, the picture began to sharpen. Lindor suited up for his first rehab assignment game with the Double-A Binghampton Rumble Ponies. stepping back onto the field with a hit in his first at-bat.

The night didn’t take long to start moving in the right direction. Lindor recorded a single into right-center in his first trip to the plate. He then scored after getting on base. By the end of the game, that single was his only hit of the night as he finished 1-for-4.

It was the kind of step Mets fans hope to see after months of waiting for a return that finally starts to feel real. Lindor looked like a player easing back into professional rhythm, not rushing it. The Mets also need that kind of forward motion. because their season has been difficult even with the momentum of recent wins.

New York has won two games in a row and three of their last five. Still, the larger standings story is harsh: the Amazins are currently dead last in the NL East. Their record sits at 34-41. putting them 13.5 games behind the first-place Atlanta Braves. and New York remains the only team in the division with a losing record.

Against that backdrop, Lindor’s rehab assignment matters. It suggests he is closer to getting back to Major League Baseball as the long summer stretch begins, and New York is trying to salvage as much of the season as possible.

What’s still missing is the part everyone wants most: the exact timeline. When Lindor spoke through SNY Mets, he kept the next step grounded and human—recover now, then reassess.

“I’m going to recover right now, go home, see my kids, see my wife, and then tomorrow we’ll figure out what I got next,” Lindor said, via SNY Mets.

There’s a clear cadence in that message. He’s taking the rehab game, watching how his body responds, and then moving forward from there. The Mets will take it the same way—one more step, then another—until the day he walks back into the lineup in Queens.

For now, the return is still measured, not guaranteed. Friday night offered proof of progress. The schedule beyond that remains unknown.

Francisco Lindor Mets rehab assignment Binghampton Rumble Ponies April 22 injury NL East standings Atlanta Braves SNY Mets