Report reveals if Mets plan to name Francisco Lindor captain after leaked video

A since-deleted MLB.com video that surfaced during All-Star Week teased that the New York Mets were preparing to name shortstop Francisco Lindor their first team captain since David Wright retired after the 2018 season.

For a piece published late Tuesday night, Anthony Rieber of Newsday addressed a topic that has been hovering over the Mets for years. 

"A source said the team is not planning on naming Lindor or anyone captain at the moment," Rieber revealed. 

While some have named Lindor as the favorite to become Mets captain since at least early 2023, the fan-favorite who has featured for the Amazins since 2021 is hardly the only candidate for that honor.

Outfielder Brandon Nimmo has only played for the Mets since he made his MLB debut during the 2016 season, and he agreed to an eight-year deal reportedly worth $162M to stay with the franchise in December 2022. Additionally, slugger Pete Alonso could become a "lifelong Met" if he opts out of his existing contract but then re-joins the club via a multi-year deal following the ongoing campaign. 

That said, Lindor seems to have the support of a fan base that views him as a hero after he famously called a players-only meeting in May 2024 that has routinely been credited for the Mets saving their season. He ultimately became the eventual 2024 NL MVP runner-up, and he was also responsible for two massive home runs that helped the Mets reach last year's National League Championship Series. 

"I think it would be something that I would take and it would be a privilege and honor and I wouldn’t take it lightly," Lindor told Rieber about possibly being named captain. "I wouldn’t do nothing different. I would continue to be me. At the end of the day, that’s something for the front office to decide, whether they want to or not."

According to Rieber, naming a captain "seems like" something that team owners Steve and Alex Cohen would like to do at some point down the road. Lindor signed a 10-year contract extension that could be worth up to $341M in the spring of 2021, so the 31-year-old should remain attached to the Mets through the rest of his physical prime.