Mets' Francisco Lindor displays leadership after Gold Glove snub

Members of the baseball community were shocked to learn on Tuesday that New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor was not among the three finalists for the National League Gold Glove award at the position. 

Lindor made it clear ahead of Game 3 of the NL Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers that he's focused on other matters. 

"I had a good defensive year, but I guess there’s other players that had a better defensive year than me," Lindor told reporters, as Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post shared. "At the end of the day, I’m trying to win a World Series. I’m trying to make it to the World Series and then win it."

Such a comment won't surprise those who have followed Lindor's journey with the Mets over the past several years. Most recently, he emerged as an unofficial team captain when he called a players-only meeting on the night the 2024 Mets fell to 22-33 back on May 29. He and outfielder Brandon Nimmo later began paying for team dinners on road trips.

Those stories put smiles on fans' faces but wouldn't mean as much if Lindor didn't become New York's best offensive player after first-year manager Carlos Mendoza put the 30-year-old in the lineup's leadoff spot back in the middle of May. By most accounts, Lindor will finish second in NL Most Valuable Player Award voting for this season behind Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani. 

"I just love getting things started," Lindor said about serving as a leadoff hitter, according to Robert Sanchez of SNY. "...I want to gather as much information as I can, not only for myself but also for the guys behind me and then share that knowledge and let them do whatever they got to do with it. The information could be one pitch or it could be 10 pitches." 

After Lindor hit a leadoff home run in Game 2 of the NLCS, Fox cameras spotted him having a quick chat with third baseman Mark Vientos. Vientos then delivered a grand slam in the second inning of the contest, and the Mets won 7-3. 

Lindor has already produced multiple memorable moments during a run that has the Mets three wins away from a World Series appearance. He knows the fans at Citi Field on Wednesday night will want more of the same from New York's stars when the series tied at 1-1 resumes in Queens. 

"There is a lot of pressure, but pressure is a blessing in a way because I’ve sat at home in this time of year and it sucks," Lindor added. "So to be in this position right now I think is fantastic. It’s fabulous."

As of Wednesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Mets as +130 betting underdogs to get past the Dodgers and advance to the World Series.