New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor hit a walk-off single to beat his former team in the Cleveland Guardians, and got the last laugh over Jason Kipnis.
It has been quite the week for the New York Mets and Francisco Lindor. The team appears to be turning the corner, as they were able to defeat the Tampa Bay Rays in a series this past week.
Lindor had the chance to face off against the Cleveland Guardians, his former team, this weekend. But earlier in the week, his former Guardians teammate Jason Kipnis’ comments circulated across social media.
During an appearance on “The Foul Territory Podcast,” Kipnis said of the Mets “all of those veterans and no leadership.” Host and former catcher A.J. Pierzynski brought up that his former teammate in Lindor was on the team, to which Kipnis responded by saying “I’m gonna repeat it again.”
Well, on Friday night, Lindor got the chance to show what the Guardians were missing. In the bottom of the ninth inning, with the game tied 9-9, Lindor took the first pitch he saw from Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase and sent it up the middle of the infield into the outfield to send home the winning run and get the 10-9 walk-off victory.
Francisco Lindor gets last laugh against Guardians, Jason Kipnis
On Wednesday, Kipnis took to Twitter to clarify his comments on the podcast. Kipnis said that they were speculating about the locker room and that “we don’t actually know what’s goin on there cause we’re not there!” Additionally, he said that Lindor wasn’t expected to be a leader when he was in Cleveland, and that “We’re just talkin about s*** cause they’re not winning like they can.”
Lindor and Kipnis were teammates from 2015, when the shortstop made his MLB debut, to 2019 when the veteran entered free agency and eventually signed with the Chicago Cubs.
Ahead of Friday’s game, Lindor was asked about Kipnis’ comments: “I haven’t talked to him. I don’t really have much to say.”
Lindor’s wife, Katia, responded to the clip tweeted out by SNY, saying, “My husband is such a classy person, would never say what a bully Kipnis was in the clubhouse. Sounds like a true leader versus the opposite of a leader.”
Kipnis responded, “I’m not so sure about bully but I said it earlier and I’ll say it again. Terrible take on my end and I was wrong. Should be proud of the man he’s grown into and nothing but love for the Lindor family. Can admit when I f****d up. Sorry it even got to here.”
After watching Lindor’s walk-off hit, Kipnis jokingly tweeted “lol cause of course, you’re welcome Mets fans! #leadership.”
In the game, Lindor went 3-for-6 at the plate, scoring two runs and knocking in the winning run.
On the year, Lindor has recorded a .235 batting average, a .313 on-base percentage, a .419 slugging percentage, a .732 OPS, six home runs, 28 runs scored, 32 RBI, and 42 hits.
The Mets and Guardians face off again on Saturday, with the first pitch scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET.