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The New York Mets have dispatched the Philadelphia Phillies out of the National League Division Series after a grand slam from Francisco Lindor powered them to a 4-1 win in Game 4 at Citi Field. Lindor feels grateful that his family was present in the stadium to witness him "do something special" after producing arguably the most important hit of his MLB career.
Francisco Lindor made a slow start to the 2024 season before starting on a hot run in June to end the campaign as a leading contender for the NL MVP. The 30-year-old was doubtful to feature for the Mets in the playoffs after suffering back trouble before the end of the regular season. Nevertheless, he recovered in time before making a monumental impact in the postseason.
Following the Mets' victory over the Phillies at Citi Field on Wednesday night, Francisco Lindor spoke with eminent baseball writer Tom Verducci, who was inside the arena as an on-field correspondent for Fox Sports.
"This is what I wanted," Lindor said. "I came here to play winning baseball, and to have the opportunity to win a World Series. We gotta keep on climbing.
"Thanks you, fans. I love you guys. Mets Nation, [you are] amazing," he added. "I am blessed. My daughters and wife are here, and they get to watch Daddy do something special."
Just like Francisco Lindor, the Mets had a poor start to the campaign and held a 24-33 record at the end of May. However, they improved to a winning percentage above .600 for the rest of the season to clinch a wild card berth despite finishing in third place in the NL East.
"It could have been anybody": Francisco Lindor on his postseason heroics
Francisco Lindor played the first six seasons of his MLB career for the Cleveland Indians and made four playoff appearances.
He joined the New York Mets on a 10-year, $331 million, contract as a free agent in 2021. This is his second postseason run with the team, and he's batting .259/.382/.481 with a .863 OPS and six RBIs, including a game-winning grand slam.
Having gone past their division rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies, in the NLDS, the Mets will move on to challenge for their first NL pennant since 2015.
"You say we have a great opportunity on our hands. And that's what it is," Lindor said. "It is a great opportunity."
"We are blessed to be able to do this in front of the fans," he added. "We just keep climbing. My bat doesn't come up if it wasn't for the guys in front of me. Today I was the one that drove in the runs, but it could have been anybody."
The New York Mets will await the winner of the five-game series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres for the final showdown in the NL.
