New York Mets fans have never been shy about expressing their frustration. Francisco Lindor doesn't want them to stop either.
Francisco Lindor and the New York Mets have been going through a rough patch lately. The Blue Jays completed a three-game sweep of the Mets on Saturday in the Big Apple, and Lindor was particularly ineffective. He struck out three times and went 0-4 on the evening, leaving several runners stranded on base.
New York fans responded in typically New York fashion: with boos. As you may recall, Lindor does not have the best history when it comes to handling jeers from the home crowd. In 2021, he and Javy Baez infamously gave thumbs down to the Mets faithful after receiving boos.
This time around, however, Lindor is playing a different tune.
Francisco Lindor understands the frustration of Mets fans
"I don't want to block them out," Lindor told the New York Post. "They are expressing their frustration, and I hear them. I am right there with them. I just have to get better."
Lindor is now 0-15 in his last four games with a paltry .212 batting average on the season. The four-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger just hasn't been himself at the plate, and the Mets are suffering because of it.
New York manager Buck Showalter was quick to come to Lindor's defense, noting that the star shortstop isn't the only Met struggling at the plate.
"He's not the only one who struck out today. If you start picking guys out, then who takes his place? I have a lot of trust in Francisco. He's got a long track record. Certainly, he's frustrated by it right now, and we're frustrated for him."
Showalter has no plans to move Lindor down in the lineup and Lindor has no plans of taking a night off. He reasons: the opportunities to swing the bat, the quicker he can shake his slump. The Mets would certainly like him to get back to his old ways sooner than later. At 30-30, New York is two games behind second-place Miami and five games behind first-place Atlanta in the NL East.
Lindor will continue to receive the ire of the New York faithful until he gives them a reason to celebrate. As we all know, he's more than capable of supplying it, but New Yorkers have never been the most patient bunch.