Lindor returns to Mets' lineup after missing nearly 2 weeks with lower back pain

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Francisco Lindor is back in the New York Mets’ lineup. And the team is confident he’s feeling good enough to stay there the rest of the regular season.

The star shortstop went 2 for 4 with a walk and an error Friday night in an 8-4 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers that marked his first appearance since Sept. 15. Lindor had played only one inning over the past 10 games due to lower back pain, though he was on deck and ready to pinch hit when the Mets made the final out of their 5-1 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday.

“I felt good enough,” Lindor said afterward. “The pain comes and goes. I'm happy with that.”

While the return of Lindor was encouraging, Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez exited with back spasms in the seventh inning. Alvarez hurt himself sliding into third base and was lifted for a pinch runner. He was advancing from second to third as Tyrone Taylor grounded out.

Alvarez said he felt scared initially because he'd never dealt with this type of issue before, but he was more optimistic after the game.

“I feel my body's doing way better,” Alvarez said. “I feel just a little bit tight. I really think we'll see tomorrow how it's going to feel, and let's see if I can play tomorrow.”

The Mets are competing with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Atlanta Braves for the final two NL wild-card playoff spots. The Mets and Braves would play a doubleheader Monday in Atlanta if their postseason fates aren't settled by then.

New York manager Carlos Mendoza and president of baseball operations David Stearns both expressed optimism that Lindor could play Saturday, Sunday and both games of a Monday doubleheader if that scenario arises.

Lindor agreed.

“With how everything went tonight, yes,” Lindor said. “We'll see how I bounce back tomorrow, but how everything went tonight, yeah. Thank God everything went well. My body was responding the way I want it to respond."

Lindor said anything that involves bending over is what currently bothers him the most as he comes back from the injury.

“This time of year there's nobody playing without pain,” Lindor said. "It's part of the game.”

Lindor had been penciled into the starting lineup Wednesday night in Atlanta before that game was rained out. Mendoza said Lindor’s participation in a workout Thursday in Milwaukee provided more reason for encouragement.

“The way he was swinging the bat, the way he was moving around, the way he ran the bases, the smile on his face, the conversations we’re having,” Mendoza said before the game as he listed his reasons for optimism. “Now we’ve just got to go out there, watch him and continue to treat it day by day.”

Stearns was asked if Lindor would be playing if he were feeling this way in mid-May rather than the final weekend of the regular season with a playoff berth at stake.

“I think we’re at the point with Francisco where he’s feeling pretty good,” Stearns said. “He’s ready to go.”

The 30-year-old Lindor is batting .273 with a .344 on-base percentage, 31 homers, 86 RBIs and 27 steals in 149 games.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

New York Mets' Francisco Alvarez (4) exits the field with coaches and trainers after suffering an injury at third base during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

New York Mets' Francisco Lindor gestures to an umpire during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor sits in the dugout during the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor sits in the dugout during the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Lindor returns to Mets' lineup after missing nearly 2 weeks with lower back pain

New York Mets' Francisco Lindor prepares for an at-bat during the first inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)

Lindor returns to Mets' lineup after missing nearly 2 weeks with lower back pain

DALLAS (AP) — The Dallas Stars keep responding in these NHL playoffs, like they have all season.

Now they go into Game 4 at home with a chance for a 3-1 series lead against the top-seeded Winnipeg Jets in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs.

“It's the best response team that I’ve coached in my time here, coming off, not necessarily a poor effort, but a loss or maybe we’re not as good as we could be, (and) rectifying that quickly,” third-year Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “There’s an honesty to the group and the leadership in the group. They’re willing to accept hard coaching. You don’t have to sugarcoat it with them, which is nice."

Dallas has had to change the way it plays defensively since Miro Heiskanen injured his left knee Jan. 28, and the standout defenseman still hasn't played since. The Stars also were without top goal scorer Jason Robertson in the first round against Colorado, when they lost another Game 1 before back-to-back overtime playoff wins despite leading only a total of 62 seconds in regulation. They have two 4-0 losses this postseason, and rebounded from both with big wins, the latest 5-2 in Game 3 against Winnipeg on Sunday after being shut out by Connor Hellebuyck two nights earlier.

In the only NHL game Tuesday night, Winnipeg now must respond to even the series and regain home-ice advantage.

“For sure. It’s important. We need to get one on the road here," Jets forward Kyle Connor said. “That next one is the best chance we’ve got.”

When/Where to Watch: Game 4, Tuesday, 8 p.m. EDT (ESPN)

Series: Stars lead 2-1.

DeBoer said Monday that he still believes Heiskanen will play at some point in the series against the Jets. The defenseman had a scheduled day off during what was an optional practice.

The Stars got goals from defensemen Alexander Petrovic and Thomas Harley in Game 3 against the Jets. Petrovic, who has played twice as many postseason games as he did regular-season games, was credited with the go-ahead tally in the third period. A puck shot by Mikko Rantanen deflected off Hellebuyck and then the defenseman’s skate back toward the net and went in for a 3-2 lead.

Right after that disputed goal, Rantanen almost immediately scored yet another goal for the Stars.

“We had, whatever it was, a two-, three-minute situation where they scored a couple of goals, but at the end of the day, hopefully some of the stuff we did, the offense we created, the chances that we had, help us feel good about what we can do in Game 4,” Jets coach Scott Arniel said. “And that’s what we’re going to have to do. ... We have to find ways to score more goals than them. We had looks.”

Rantanen is having no problems scoring, with an NHL-high 18 points (nine goals and nine assists) and setting all kinds of records. He is the first player with 18 points in the first 10 games of the playoffs since a pair of Hall of Famers did that in 1989 — Wayne Gretzky for the Los Angeles Kings and Mario Lemieux for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

After the primary assist on the go-ahead goal Sunday, Rantanen has factored into each of the last five game-winning goals for the Stars since overtime in Game 3 of the first round against Colorado, his former team. The previous franchise record was four in a row by Joe Nieuwendyk during their 1999 run to their only Stanley Cup title.

Rantanen had a goal and two assists to become the first player in NHL history with five three-point games through his first 10 games of a postseason. All of his have come in the last six games — twice against the Jets.

“He’s a tough guy. Like a lot of their skill players, it takes a lot to sort of shut those guys down,” Arniel said. "That’s all part of this. If we’re going to have success, not just him but we have to take away all their offense. ... We just have to make sure we continue to do a job on him and the rest of their top players.”

AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Winnipeg Jets' Nikolaj Ehlers dives to clear the puck in the second period of Game 3 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Dallas Stars in Dallas, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Dallas Stars head coach Pete DeBoer, center, watches play against the Winnipeg Jets in the second period of Game 3 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series in Dallas, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Winnipeg Jets head coach Scott Arniel, center, talks Cole Perfetti (91) as they and assistant coach Davis Payne, right, leave the ice after the team's loss to the Dallas Stars in Game 3 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series in Dallas, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Winnipeg Jets center Morgan Barron (36) falls to the ice competing against Dallas Stars' Mikko Rantanen (96) in the first period of Game 3 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series in Dallas, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Dallas Stars' Mikko Rantanen (96) celebrates his goal in the third period of Game 3 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Winnipeg Jets in Dallas, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)