Shortstop Francisco Lindor celebrates after the Mets beat the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 of the NLDS on Wednesday.
(Adam Hunger / Associated Press)
Shohei Ohtani has all but locked up the National League MVP award this year, after his unprecedented 54-homer, 59-steal season with the Dodgers.
For much of the summer, however, Lindor was seen as a possible challenger, considered the best non-designated hitter in the NL this year.
Despite missing the All-Star Game after a sluggish start to the year, Lindor caught fire in the second half, batting .306 with 16 home runs and a .943 OPS in his final 57 games — all while playing highly-rated defense at shortstop and serving as the Mets’ poised, impassioned, spiritual leader.
Though his full-season stat line didn’t rival Ohtani’s numbers — Lindor batting .273, to Ohtani’s .310, with 33 home runs and 91 RBIs — he wasn’t far off matching Ohtani’s NL-best total in wins above replacement, posting a 7.8 mark (thanks to the added value from his defense) to Ohtani’s 9.1 (which was hampered by the fact he was only a DH this season), according to Fangraphs.
Lindor has been a force in the playoffs as well, batting seven-for-27 with three doubles, his Game 4 grand slam home run, six RBIs and six walks.
