New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor exits game with left calf tightness

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New York Mets' Francisco Lindor, left, slides past Minnesota Twins catcher Victor Caratini to score on a double by Francisco Alvarez during the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Mets' Francisco Lindor hits an RBI single during the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) — New York Mets' Francisco Lindor, left, slides past Minnesota Twins catcher Victor Caratini to score on a double by Francisco Alvarez during the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

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8:07 PM on Wednesday, April 22

By MIKE FITZPATRICK

NEW YORK (AP) — No sooner did the struggling New York Mets get a star player back than another one went down with a similar injury.

Francisco Lindor was removed Wednesday night against the Minnesota Twins with left calf tightness, just hours after teammate Juan Soto came off the injured list.

Lindor labored around the bases while scoring from first on Francisco Alvarez's one-out double up the right-center alley in the fourth inning. The switch-hitting shortstop grimaced as he rounded third and paused for a bit from the seat of his pants after beating the relay throw with a feetfirst slide.

Lindor headed down the dugout tunnel with an athletic trainer and was replaced in the lineup by Brett Baty, who entered at third base in the top of the fifth. Bo Bichette slid over from third base to shortstop.

Batting cleanup, Lindor knocked in a run when he legged out an infield single with two outs in the first. Moments earlier, he made an outstanding leaping grab at shortstop for the second out of the game.

With the Mets on a 12-game losing streak, Soto was reinstated from the 10-day IL earlier in the day. The slugging outfielder had been sidelined since straining his right calf while running from first to third on April 3 in San Francisco.

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