5 Bigger Concerns for NY Mets Than Lindor's Mental Errors

Francisco Lindor's defensive lapses are just the tip of the iceberg for the struggling Mets early in the season.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 9:00pm

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A fractured, geometric painting in bold, vibrant colors that deconstructs a baseball game or match into sharp, overlapping planes, conceptually representing the Mets' early-season challenges.A cubist interpretation of the Mets' early-season struggles, with the team's key issues fragmented into an abstract visual.NYC Today

The New York Mets have gotten off to a 3-3 start, and while Francisco Lindor's mental mistakes have drawn attention, there are several bigger concerns facing the team, including Marcus Semien's offensive struggles, Brett Baty's recent slump, the overall offensive woes, bullpen usage, and the construction of the pitching staff.

Why it matters

The Mets were expected to be one of the top teams in the National League this season, so their early struggles have raised some alarm bells. While Lindor's mistakes are noteworthy, addressing the team's larger issues will be crucial if they want to turn things around and live up to their preseason hype.

The details

Lindor's forgetting the number of outs on defense and getting picked off at first base before a Juan Soto home run were glaring mental lapses. However, the Mets have bigger concerns, including Marcus Semien's 2-for-20 start, Brett Baty's recent cold spell, the team's overall offensive struggles with a .162 batting average with runners in scoring position, bullpen usage that has seen Richard Lovelady appear in 3 of 6 games, and the pitching staff construction that has Sean Manaea piggy-backing and Tobias Myers serving as a multi-inning reliever.

  • The Mets are 3-3 through their first 6 games of the 2026 season.

The players

Francisco Lindor

The Mets' star shortstop who has made some high-profile mental mistakes early in the season.

Marcus Semien

The Mets' second baseman who is off to a slow 2-for-20 start at the plate.

Brett Baty

The Mets' top prospect who has cooled off after a strong Opening Day performance.

Juan Soto

The Mets' division rival who hit a home run immediately after Lindor was picked off at first base.

Carlos Mendoza

The Mets' manager who has faced questions about his bullpen usage early in the season.

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What’s next

The Mets will look to bounce back in their upcoming series against the St. Louis Cardinals as they try to address their early-season issues and get their season back on track.

The takeaway

While Francisco Lindor's mental mistakes have drawn attention, the Mets have several larger concerns they need to address, including their struggling offense, bullpen usage, and pitching staff construction. Addressing these bigger problems will be crucial if the Mets want to live up to their preseason expectations and compete in the NL East.