The Mets’ captaincy has been a vacant throne since David Wright’s farewell in 2018. But now, the wait might be over. Rumor has it that Francisco Lindor is the frontrunner for the honor. And honestly? It makes perfect sense. Since arriving in 2021, he’s become the face of the franchise and a driving force behind the team’s culture shift. If the Mets are finally ready to name a captain, Lindor’s got to be the guy.

Well, there are players like Brandon Nimmo present in the team; contenders for getting the caption title are many. It thus came as a surprise for Lindor, and he was taken aback when asked about the same in a recent press meeting. The fans are flooding social media, declaring Lindor as their De Facto captain, but what made Lindor the most eligible one? What will be the future of the Mets under the leadership of Francisco Lindor?

Francisco Lindor: A de facto captain

Since his joining in 2021, Mr. Smile has been all about offering his best figures with the Mets. He got the taste of the Silver Slugger Award and All-MLB Second Team with the Mets and is one of the highest-run contributors on the team. Well, apart from his figures, it is his leadership qualities that make him the best contender for the captain title. Remember the players-only meeting initiated by him last year? That helped in steering off the challenging streak and improving the team’s performance. Enough for the Mets management to think about what magic Lindor can wave if he becomes the captain. However, how is Lindor reacting to this news? 

“If it does, it would be fantastic. It would be an honor. It would be a privilege,” said Lindor during his first spring training press conference. Lindor seems all set to take the challenge, and again, it is his humility to treat the opportunity as an honor rather than his rights. He also added, “It’s not going to change my job”, reflecting his continuous commitment to the team and that the captain title is not going to change his attitude. He has Nimmo on his side and can be the best option to play hardball with the youngsters in the team. 

Exciting future ahead 

The positive changes brought up by Francisco Lindor to the Mets since 2021 are enough to be confident about the exciting future under his leadership. A true leader will be someone who can lead by example. Lindor is leading the Mets leaderboard in terms of runs scored; he is the first Met to enter the 30-30 club, and his grand slam in Game 4 of the NLDS against the Phillies helped the Mets advance to the NLCS. Enough for the others to follow suit! In addition to his integrity, Lindor seems to be an attractive prospect for getting the captain’s crown.

The Mets are all armed up this year with some record-breaking deals. The team has names like Juan Soto that can make the leadership job easier. Moreover, talents like Mark Vientos, Bret Baty, and Tyler Zuber can be managed effectively by someone who has been attached to the team for a long time. No one is better than Lindor in terms of overall contributions and tenure in the Mets. Under the leadership of Lindor, fans can expect that the Mets will offer better and standardized performance and that their commitment to the game will be top-notch. So yes, an exciting year ahead for the Mets with their favorite Mr. Smile as the captain.

Leading the team will be nothing new for Francisco Lindor, as he is already doing this, and now it’s just an official tag that will be attached. 

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