Mets' Francisco Lindor to begin rehab assignment Friday, eyes early next week return

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor is nearing a return to the active roster, with his minor league rehabilitation assignment set to begin Friday. Lindor has been sidelined since April 22 with a left calf strain.

He is slated to play with the Double-A Binghamton team on Friday. Depending on weather conditions, he may also play with the Triple-A Syracuse team on Sunday. The Mets will then reevaluate his progress to determine his activation. Manager Carlos Mendoza confirmed that Lindor is expected to play at least two games during his rehab stint.

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We know he's going to play two games for sure.

Teammate Tyrone Taylor, who is recovering from a right hip flexor strain, will also begin his minor league rehabilitation assignment on Friday. The Mets anticipate Lindor's recovery to be quicker than Taylor's, as Lindor has spent the past week and a half playing in simulated games at Citi Field. This allowed him to get regular at-bats and practice in a controlled environment.

The team noted that if Lindor responds well to the less controlled environment of minor league games, two rehab appearances might suffice, despite his nearly two-month absence. At the time of his injury, Lindor was batting .226 with 2 home runs, 5 RBIs, 21 hits, and an OPS of .669.

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If Lindor responds well to the less controlled environment of minor league games, two rehab appearances might suffice, despite his nearly two-month absence.