Francisco Lindor on first spring training game post hand surgery, Opening Day status for Mets
After making his first appearance in a spring training game since having surgery on his hand, Francisco Lindor met with the media to discuss the major step in his recovery, and towards his goal of being in the Mets' lineup on Opening Day.
Video Transcript
Is that more or less status quo or anything unexpected?
What, just what was your experience like in general?
It was, it was a really good experience.
felt like I was pretty much like myself, and I finished the game healthy.
So it's a-- overall, it was a good day for me.
I appreciate the trainers.
They have pushed me for a very long time now to, to be here today, and yeah, I feel, feel good.
Swinging the bat, wh-whether it was today or even minor league games, live PPs, that stuff, are there any moments when you still feel it?
there's gonna be moments, yeah, for sure.
That's something that the trainers have said from day one, that I'm going to feel something.
there's, you know, it was a bone removed, and there's a lot of nerves there and, soft tissue stuff.
So yeah, there's gonna be moments I'm gonna feel it.
Today I felt like it was a good day overall, especially that I was able to, play the four innings I was supposed to and take the three at-bats I was supposed to.
Did they give you an idea how long that will last, just the, the feeling?
Trainers say eight weeks.
Players say a year.
Other players say two years.
Retired players say they still feel it.
So God knows.
Who knows?
Eric.
Hey, Francisco.
Hey, dude.
At this point, is there any question for you regarding opening day, in your mind?
I have checked every single box as of right now.
I still gotta stay the course and continue to check the boxes that the trainers have for me.
it's a-- I think everything is going in the right direction.
I thank God for my health and the trainers, my trainer, and, everybody has contributed.
You know, it was two surgeries this offseason, and here I am today.
Appreciating that you like to play every day, with this particular injury, do you envision maybe there being designed days off during the season?
I don't plan on it.
those are stuff that we're gonna be talking about throughout the, the year.
I wanna post up every single day, and even if I'm not playing that day, as long as I'm available, it's gonna be good.
But I don't plan on taking off days.
God willing, I have the health, and, I get to go out there and do my thing.
You, you hit that one ball that was home run distance, just went a little bit foul.
Is there any, concern at all that there's-- it, it's gonna take time for, for the power to be there?
I don't think it's gonna take time for the power to be there.
it's one of those where I feel fine right now.
I'm in a good spot.
I spent the whole offseason trying to hit the ball over a hundred miles per hour, even before my wrist injury, and I think I did it once, and then today I hit two balls over a hundred.
So it's just, I just gotta g-gotta get a swing and get the right pitch, and I'm sure the ball is gonna go if it's supposed to go.
And does it feel any different, regarding if you're hitting left-handed or right-handed with, with, with the, the hand?
yeah.
Yeah, there's a little bit of, of a difference.
but I feel good from both sides.
there's gonna be a test throughout the, the re-the rest of spring training and when I face people in the, whether it's minor leagues or wherever I, I do, I don't know.
I'm assuming I'm gonna continue to play.
I haven't, fully gone through all the details, but I feel good.
The bottom line, I feel good.
I'm in a good spot.
I'm still very optimistic about opening day, and God willing, everything works out in the r-the, the right way, so I can, so I can be there and play.
When you say there's a, a little bit of a difference, which, which way do you feel it more?
it depends on days.
Some days I'm like, "Man, I feel incredible from the right side."
There's days I'm like, "No, the right side is not doing too well today."
And there's other days that, my left side's not responding the way I want it res-I want it to respond.
just, it's gonna-- I think it's gonna be depending on the day, you know.
It's, it's one of those where it's not about one way is gonna feel the same way every, every day, you know.
They, they say that rehab is not a linear, thing.
It's, it's gonna be ups and downs, and that's where I'm at.
today was a good day, and hopefully I come back tomorrow, I feel even better, and we go from there.
Ben.
obviously, Francisco Alvarez is one of your teammates that dealt with this last year.
Have you spoken to him a lot about just how he was recovering and the pain tolerance aspect of things?
Yeah, I mean, his grip strength, it's 10X of mine, so he's, he's, he's, a special human being.
but yes, we have talked, and he has helped me, and he has given me some pointers to make sure I get back sooner and what to expect.
And pointers like that have helped me to understand that whenever I feel that, that somebody has gone through it, and they're end up on the other side, and, they're okay.
So I appreciate his pointers and-- 'cause they have definitely benefited me.
Francisco, there was that play up the middle you made a dive, diving attempt for.
Was there any, hesitation on that or relief when, when you got up and the, you know, the, the wrist felt okay?
Um- Or is it just hitting anyway?
There was no hesitation.
When I hit the ground, I was like, "Ooh, that's different."
I haven't dove in practice.
But I got up and was like, "Okay, I feel good."
so as long as The trainers have said to me that whenever, even if there's a little pain, long as it goes away, you're in a good spot.
And that's what happened, and, it w-it was good.
It, it, it did not make me timid the rest of the game.
It allowed me to continue to play at f-full speed.
And, and it gives you confidence going forward that you can maybe- For sure ...have that not in the back of your mind going forward.
For sure, yeah.
No, I mean, I'm in a good spot.
Ben.
Francisco, getting a chance to work with Beaty in a game with him at first, I'm just curious what your impressions are of him in this new role, and you've seen him develop defensively over the years.
Do you think he can excel at first and then right as well this year?
A hundred percent.
I'm very confident about his skills on the field.
I feel like he can play anywhere, and he's gonna help us a, a ton.
You know, he's-- he was-- he had a good year last year, and I feel like he's gonna have an even better year this year.
it was cool to play with Bo, with Marcus, with Beaty, in the infield.
At, at one point, I looked to my, to my side, I'm like, "Well, I got a shortstop next to me, so I don't have to cover that one."
Look to my left, I'm like, "I don't know, a shortstop on my left side."
So it's, it was fun.
just it was, it was a, it was a good day.
It was a cool day.
just Sterens did a good job this offseason, and, I'm excited for this year.
Scott.
I'm only asking this because Zach Wheeler did it.
Did you keep the bone from your surgery?
I did not.
I did not.
I didn't even think about it.
yeah, no, Zach Wheeler, he's probably tougher than me, so I, I didn't wanna see.
I woke up, and I was just glad I was awake.
