Despite a rough defensive season, Francisco Lindor will be the everyday shortstop in 2027.<\/p>\n
In just about every metric, from the traditional (10 errors in his first 82 games) to the more advanced (ranking 52nd among 62 shortstops who had logged at least 150 innings this season in Defensive Runs Saved), Lindor has taken a step back defensively.\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"Francisco](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2292560663.jpg\")
Francisco Lindor watches his home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning of a baseball game at Tropicana Field on September 1, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Getty Images<\/p>\n
The position is mostly patrolled by younger kids, and Lindor turns 33 in November. The only players who are older and have spent most of their time at shortstop this year are Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts and Trea Turner.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lindor\u2019s glove has regressed, with several booted balls, including Tuesday at Tropicana Field, but perhaps more notably, his sprint speed is down for a third straight season, falling from 28.1 feet per second in 2023 in his fastest one-second window in 2023 to 26.8 feet this season.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But there is \u201cno question\u201d the normally steady and two-time Gold Glover will be the Mets shortstop next year, Stearns said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cCertainly a few more mistakes than we\u2019re accustomed to seeing,\u201d Stearns allowed before the Mets began a series with the Giants at Citi Field. \u201cI think a lot of the underlying stuff is still pretty good. And uncharacteristically, he just hasn\u2019t completed some of the plays that he normally completes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI really don\u2019t think there\u2019s anything more in there than that. And I think we\u2019re going to be looking at a shortstop next year who completes those plays at the rate we\u2019re usually seeing him complete.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Marcus Semien is a \u201csteadying force\u201d but has not been steady at the plate.<\/p>\n
![\"President](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2175349665.jpg\")
President of baseball operations for the New York Mets, David Sterns, before the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on September 28, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Getty Images<\/p>\n
In evaluating Semien\u2019s season, Stearns praised the second baseman in just about every way except his bat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The 14-year veteran is a \u201cconsummate professional\u201d who \u201cdoes post every day,\u201d \u201cworks incredibly hard,\u201d and is \u201cstill a really good defender,\u201d Stearns said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But such attributes are secondary considering Semien entered play with a .632 OPS that ranked 138th among 142 qualified hitters.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe offensive performance in its totality this year hasn\u2019t been what he wants, hasn\u2019t been what we would want,\u201d Stearns said. \u201cWe\u2019ve seen flashes.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not enough of them in Semien\u2019s first season in Queens after being swapped for Brandon Nimmo, who has hit better (.761 OPS) with the Rangers but had a lengthier contract and blocked outfield spots that are being used on Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It is possible the Mets consider competition \u2014 either established major leaguers or rising prospects \u2014 for the second baseman next season, but Stearns did not sound as if he was about to recommend the club eat the $46 million due Semien over the next two years.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cWho he is as a person, how he\u2019s contributed to our team, from a work-ethic standpoint,\u201d Stearns said, \u201cit\u2019s been outstanding.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Jorge Polanco\u2019s status: \u201cTBD\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Brought in to assume the bulk of the work Pete Alonso left behind, Polanco played two games at first base and will enter next spring as a mystery defensively.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Having undergone ankle surgery last month for an injury that hampered him all season, Polanco\u2019s status defensively will be \u201cTBD,\u201d Stearns said, until the Mets see how he is moving and how he recovers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf there\u2019s one thing I\u2019ve learned about Jorge is he\u2019s going to work incredibly hard to do everything in his power to be a good player for us next year,\u201d Stearns said. \u201cI think he will be.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Owed $23 million next year, Polanco\u2019s would be a difficult contract to move, especially because his bat \u2014 which most attracted the Mets \u2014 never awoke, perhaps because of the ankle, hitting .148 with a .431 OPS in 37 games.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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\u201cClearly it did not work out the way we anticipated this year,\u201d Stearns said.\u00a0<\/p>\n