The perennial All-Star sits down with Boardroom to talk about the importance of family, maintaining his eccentric individuality, and leading the Mets to the promised land.
New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor has heated up along with the weather.
The 30-year-old Puerto Rican superstar was struggling early on in the 2024 season, hitting .194 with a .633 OPS, seven home runs, 21 RBIs, and six stolen bases on May 16, with the Mets struggling at 20-23. But after manager Carlos Mendoza inserted Lindor into the Mets’ leadoff spot in the lineup, he’s arguably been the best player in the National League.
In 65 games since then, Lindor’s hitting .291 with a .905 OPS, 15 homers, 43 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases, and is one of just three MLB players, alongside Shohei Ohtani and José Ramírez, with 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases on the season. The Mets are 38-28 in that span, in position to make the playoffs for the second time in three years, and Lindor is third in the NL in Wins Above Replacement (WAR), according to FanGraphs.
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Needless to say, he’s garnering serious MVP consideration.
With Lindor thriving and the Mets in the thick of the postseason race, Lindor is again capturing the hearts of the team’s diverse fan base and New York City as he embraces an ethos of family-friendly flare and daring individuality.
Right before last month’s All-Star break, Lindor was promoting a Champs Sports campaign titled “Sport For Life,” celebrating the resilience, determination, and camaraderie sports bring into our lives, alongside NFL stars Micah Parsons and Jaylen Waddle. With his daughter, Kalina, cutely perched on his lap, Lindor told Boardroom that he was looking forward to resting at home with his loved ones.
“Spending quality time in the middle of the year with your family doesn’t really happen too often,” Lindor said.
One of the biggest reasons the Mets acquired Lindor from Cleveland in January 2021 and signed him to a 10-year, $341 million contract less than three months later is that he’s not only a standout leader on the field but a fixture off the field with the team’s diverse fan base and NYC’s huge Latin population.
Having that community and continuity is quite meaningful to him, he said.
“One of the reasons why the Mets brought me on because I can relate with a lot of the fans,” Lindor said. “My background, just grinding my whole life trying to get here. I’m honored and blessed to be part of the community and to be seen as a staple in the city and somebody in the organization that’s going to be here for a very long time.”
While Lindor is quite popular in New York, his appeal extends well beyond the city’s five boroughs. He’s one of just a handful of MLB players with more than 1 million Instagram followers, 1.1 million to be exact, which the four-time All-Star, three-time Silver Slugger, and two-time gold glove winner attributes to his relatability and his smile, though being bilingual also helps.
Lindor said he just loves sports, spending time with his family, and gaining crossover appeal thanks to his endorsements.
His signature shoe and apparel deal with New Balance allows Lindor to express himself without actually speaking. His custom Rawlings glove, Franklin batting gloves, Marucci bat, and Gatorade endorsement, along with his hair and clothing styles, allow Lindor to reach other markets and build a huge, multicultural brand.
What all these brands have in common, he said, is that they’re all family-oriented, and they’ve allowed him to express himself through his own creative ideas and input.
“They put all my ideas together and make them into reality,” Lindor said, “which they’ve allowed me to do since day one. My ideas could seem a little crazy at times, but they actually look good when they become reality.”
Life gives Lindor the inspiration for different colorways and patterns for his shoes and gloves.
“I’ve taken pictures of stuff before and sent it to New Balance or Rawlings asking, ‘Hey, can you put this in my glove?’ ‘Can you put this on my shoe?'” Lindor said. “Next thing you know, they make it.”
A couple of years ago for the US Open, Lindor wanted his shoe to have the texture and feel of a tennis ball. New Balance was able to design a pair. He wanted his glove to be completely clear and transparent, so Rawlings made it happen. He wanted his batting gloves to have a 1990s style, and Franklin implemented Lindor’s idea, highlighting his unique fashion sense.
The Mets’ acquisition of Lindor in 2021 was the first signature move made by Steve Cohen, whose $2.4 billion purchase of the team was finalized less than four months prior. While the two don’t talk much business, Lindor said he and Cohen relate to one another through the rigors of their daily jobs.
“He said you’re going to have ups and downs,” Lindor said, “and just because you had a bad day, it doesn’t make you bad. Or if you had a good day, it doesn’t make you good. When it comes to advice like that, those are the types of conversations we have.”
While Lindor still has seven years left on his Mets contract, he’s thought about life after baseball following his 30th birthday last November. He’s thought about different ventures he may go into or paths he may take once his playing days are over, though he said he doesn’t think about it much. Lindor still has plenty left to accomplish on the field, which would mark the culmination of his ascent and progression to family man, NYC stalwart, and cultural role model.
“There’s one more thing to be done, and that’s winning,” Lindor said. “I would love to win for the city.”
If he continues to heat up as the weather cools in September and October, the Mets may just stand a chance to make some serious noise in the postseason, with their leadoff man and franchise player front and center.
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