With long slump finally over, Mets star Francisco Lindor hopes to build off strides with swing

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Francisco Lindor ran around the bases at Oracle Park with his right arm raised high after a third-inning home run. He celebrated the same way again when he doubled in the ninth as the Bay Area mist swirled just above.

And who could blame the New York Mets star for showing some joy and emotion? Big hits have been hard to come by since before the All-Star break.

During his recent slump, Lindor leaned on everyone around him. He listened thoughtfully to anybody in his supportive village offering encouragement or opinions about what might be going on with his swing or approach.

So when the switch-hitting shortstop delivered three hits in New York’s 8-1 win over the San Francisco Giants on Friday night, it sure felt sweet.

“I got rhythm and I feel good,” Lindor said afterward. “I did what I wanted to do today.”

Now, it’s a matter of building some momentum and repeating what worked.

The 31-year-old Lindor ended a career-worst 0-for-31 stretch against the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday that began with an 0-for-5 performance at Kansas City on July 13.

It hasn’t been one single voice providing Lindor with advice during the struggles of late. He offered shout-outs to coaches Rafael Fernandez, Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes for their important words.

“There’s a lot of people here supporting me and helping me,” Lindor said. “A lot of people have come around me and tapped me on the back and said, ‘Keep going.’ When we’re winning games and we’ve got little speeches at the end, it’s good.”

Lindor finished 3 for 5 on Friday with his 20th home run, the double and three runs scored with a pair of strikeouts.

His feel at the plate “was coming and going” during that six-game funk. He hopes to rediscover some consistency for the second-half push after going 5 for 9 over the past two games heading into Saturday night against San Francisco.

“It was one of those where it’s just like, it would work and feel good and then it disappears,” Lindor shared. “It’s just human nature when you go through tough times … you rely on people around you and just hope that you get one or two hits. And if not, if the team wins the nights are a bit shorter.”

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza is encouraged by Lindor’s progress. A sign for Mendoza is how Lindor hits to all parts of the field, saying “that’s when he’s at his best.”

Lindor lined a single to center field off Logan Webb in the first inning Friday before pulling a 92.1 mph fastball to right for a 377-foot home run in the third. Lindor then doubled down the left-field line in the ninth against flame-throwing reliever Camilo Doval. That two-out hit kept the inning going, and New York tacked on two more runs.

“You look at that last at-bat against Doval and he’s able to drive the ball the other way like that, that’s when he’s at his best,” Mendoza said. “Some really good signs, and it’s good to have him feeling that way.”

Lindor is far from content. So, back to the batting cage he will go.

“You can only put your head down and work as hard as you can,” he said, “and see what happens.”

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