Some more big New York Mets news has emerged as the team officially begins 2026 Spring Training.
Despite an epic collapse in September, there is a lot of excitement heading into the first day of Spring Training for the NY Mets. That’s what comes with making some major late offseason moves, including a big trade for Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta.
However, the team revealed some worrisome news on Tuesday. Star shortstop Francisco Lindor is scheduled to be examined today for a stress reaction in the hamate bone of his left hand. If surgery is required, six weeks on the sidelines to recover and get back on the field is standard for an injury that isn’t uncommon.
A hamate issue is so frequent in baseball right now that a few other players around MLB are dealing with the same injury to begin Spring Training. However, on Wednesday, ESPN’s Jeff Passan explained that while Lindor should easily recover from the injury, his power could be severely hampered for months.
“While the recovery is typically four to six weeks, hitters who undergo the surgery to fix it often talk about how their power takes months to return,” he wrote. “It’s not like a soft-tissue injury; the return timeline on hamates is fairly straightforward. The time to full health, however, can be longer.”
Luis Robert Jr. set for monster year in 2026?
While the NY Mets’ additions of Bo Bichette and Freddy Peralta were major acquisitions this winter, their trade for Luis Robert Jr. is viewed as a move with huge potential. There is a belief around MLB that a change of scenery and being in a winning environment can help get the center fielder back to being the elite player he was a few years ago.
During a recent appearance on the Foul Territory podcast, his agent Scott Boras explained why he expects big things in 2026 from the one-time All-Star.
“I have Juan Soto and Luis Robert together [at the Boras Sports Performance camp]. To watch Juan Soto work out every day, watch what he does, to sit down and talk with him about how he approaches his control of the zone… Now, Luis Robert can be around a true superstar,” Boras said. “… He’s got two things he didn’t have in Chicago, he’s got the presence of a superstar to rely on, and he has a chance to win every day.”
Latest on Carson Benge’s chance to make Opening Day roster
If not for Nolan McLean’s late-season brilliance in the big leagues, 2024 first-round pick Carson Benge would have ended last year as the top prospect in the NY Mets minor league system. That is why the 23-year-old is expected to get a chance to earn a starting spot in the outfield this spring. And on Tuesday, it was revealed that it could be in right finstead of left, after it was confirmed that Soto will switch to left in 2026.
NY Mets President David Stearns offered a major update on Benge’s chances this week, adding that while Benge will get a fair chance, the team won’t force things if he isn’t quite ready for the big leagues.
“We’ve been consistent throughout the offseason that Carson’s gonna come to camp with a chance to make our team — that remains the same,” Stearns said. “He’s played a lot of right field during his time in the minor leagues. We’re confident with him out there.
“We want to see quality at-bats, we want to see him handle the outfield. It’s also gonna depend on what some other guys do, right?” he added. “It’s not all going to be dependent on how Carson looks. We’re not gonna get too preoccupied with surface line results one way or the other, and we’ll make the best decision that we can on Opening Day.”
