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A big fat grand slam on a two-home run night gave Francisco Lindor one of those signature late-season games that can help propel a player into a deeper MVP conversation. Much of the discussion around the New York Mets of late has had to do with the performance of the star shortstop. He isn’t having the kind of year as Aaron Judge or Bobby Witt Jr. over in the American League. Compared to his peers in the National League, Lindor is having one of the best seasons imaginable.
The MVP is a curious thing because it is so incredibly subjective. It’s not as simple as awarding it to the guy with the highest fWAR, everyone’s favorite statistic to bestow the honor upon Lindor already.
The Most Valuable Player Award goes to the guy the voters feel deserves it. There is no specific criteria. Value is measured differently from voter to voter. What could lead to Lindor winning the first MVP in Mets history and what could get in the way?
1) Francisco Lindor will win the MVP for the sake of newness
The stiffest competition Lindor has at the moment is Shohei Ohtani. The injury to Ketel Marte might seal his fate as an outsider to the most prestigious award. Matching Lindor offensively and putting up some incredible numbers on defense as well, missing time this late in the year could come back to bite Marte—unless of course he returns and helps carry the Arizona Diamondbacks to the playoffs.
With Ohtani, there could be a case of “been there, done that.” The voters for these awards rotate with writers having a chance to vote for different awards each year. Those voting for the National League MVP aren’t getting their first crack at honoring Ohtani. Many have likely been able to hand him the trophy in the past.
Everyone prefers something different (as long as it doesn't hurt their bottom line) and while the thought of a dynasty with the MVP award is intriguing, seeing someone else take the award is fascinating as well. People do like newness and what’s more new than Lindor, a Mets player, winning the MVP?
2) Francisco Lindor will win the MVP because he does what the other candidates don’t
A designated hitter has never won the MVP before. If we’re going to slide Marte out of the picture temporarily, this means Lindor is up against Ohtani and to a lesser extent, Marcell Ozuna. Both are DHs. Surely, Ozuna isn’t going to be the one to make history. Ohtani might.
There is a lot to be said about playing Gold Glove caliber defense while putting together the kind of year Lindor has offensively. Lindor has started in all but one game for the Mets this season. On May 2 against the Chicago Cubs, he came off the bench and knocked a pair of doubles while driving in 4 runs. He exited the game early the day prior with flu-like symptoms. This was a turning point of the year for Lindor prior to his movement to the leadoff spot only weeks later.
Appearing in all 130 games this season and doing so defensively is a remarkable feat. Even Ohtani has missed games despite never taking the field. Ozuna hasn’t missed time but again, he plays half a game.
If Ohtani is able to return to form as a pitcher, there won’t be too many other chances for NL players to take the MVP. Now is the time. Ohtani won the award before because he did something no one else does. In some ways, Lindor is doing that right now.
3) Francisco Lindor will win the MVP because it’s a great story
It’s the baseball writers who vote for the MVP. What a great story this would be. The dramatics and history will give everyone their own unique angle.
Lindor was getting booed in 2021 and the whole thumbs down fiasco had him in an indefensible position with many fans. It was a bad way to begin the relationship.
Fans would eventually turn in his favor. A fantastic 2022 campaign with the playoffs at the end followed by an equally as productive 2023 season had many fans believing he was indeed the star we always needed in Queens.
Heading into what looked like a transitional season, Lindor started off the year so badly that it felt like games wouldn’t matter by Memorial Day. It was right around that time when Ohtani’s Los Angeles Dodgers pummeled the Mets and sent Jorge Lopez’s glove into the stands. Unknowingly, the Dodgers gave Lindor his biggest signature play of the year after: the team meeting.
The Mets immediately turned things around after the Dodgers sweep. They were a different kind of beast in June which was atypical for this franchise. The impressive month brought them back from the dead and the wake-up call from Lindor was the main reason why.
If the MVP vote is strictly on statistics, Ohtani is probably the guy who’ll get the award. Why even have the human element then? Have a machine vote instead.
A strong finish from Lindor and a Mets playoff appearance can help secure something many believe is already true: the NL MVP resides in Queens.
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