Mets’ Francisco Lindor Reacts to Retirement News

There is still plenty of time for Lindor to return after suffering a left calf strain while rounding the bases and sliding into home plate against the Minnesota Twins on April 23.

Before the Mets’ game Tuesday against the Washington Nationals , Lindor shared an Instagram story honoring former teammate Gio Urshela following the infielder’s retirement announcement after 10 MLB seasons.

Lindor and Urshela were teammates in the Cleveland Guardians organization and developed a close friendship that has lasted throughout their careers.

Often described as brothers, the two Spanish-speaking infielders supported each other from their minor league days to the majors and have continued to stay close by training together during the offseason.

Both Lindor and Urshela have enjoyed successful MLB careers. Lindor is a five-time All-Star, two-time Gold Glove winner, four-time Silver Slugger recipient, and Platinum Glove winner after being drafted by the Cleveland Guardians in 2011.

The Mets remain hopeful that Lindor can return within the next month as he recovers from a left calf strain, although the team has not announced an official timetable. He is currently in the middle of a 10-year, $341 million contract extension with New York that runs through the 2031 season.

Urshela, meanwhile, made his MLB debut with Cleveland in 2015 and played for several teams throughout his career, most notably the 2019 Yankees, when he enjoyed the best season of his career.