New York Mets All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor will be evaluated for a stress reaction in his left hamate bone that could require surgery, president of baseball operations David Stearns said on Tuesday.
Lindor, 32, reported feeling soreness in his left hand and wrist area over the last couple of days, said Stearns, who added that the shortstop will see a specialist on Wednesday on possible surgery, with recovery estimated at six weeks.
"Even if it does require a surgery, we would remain optimistic
that Francisco would be back for Opening Day," Stearns said during a news conference to open spring training.
Lindor has experienced soreness in the same area at times for a couple of years, Stearns said.
"He's usually able to grind through it, and he's done it," Stearns said. "I don't know when he first felt it, but I think it just persisted to the point where he felt like he should say something about it. Once we examined it a little bit more yesterday, our medical staff determined that he should see a specialist."
Stearns also said that All-Star slugger Juan Soto will be moving from right to left field this season. Tyrone Taylor, Brett Baty or prospect Carson Benge could slot at right field.
Soto, 27, has been practicing in left field in the offseason and will play that position for the Dominican Republic in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
The four-time All-Star played six games in left field in 2024, compared to 145 in right field that season and 157 games in 2025. His other three games were as designated hitter.
Soto has started 603 games in right field and 458 in left field of 1,063 career regular-season games. In 2023, he was a full-time left fielder for the San Diego Padres.
He batted .263 last season with 43 home runs, 105 RBIs , a .396 on-base percentage and .525 slugging percentage.
Lindor was selected to the All-Star Game for the fifth time in his career last season and first as a Met in 2025, when he batted .267 with 31 home runs, 86 RBIs, a .346 on-base percentage, .466 slugging percentage, a National League-leading 644 at-bats and major league-topping 732 plate appearances in 160 games.
He has a career batting average of .273 with 279 homers and 856 RBIs in 1,535 regular-season games with Cleveland (2015-20) and New York (2021-present). He was an All-Star in 2016-19 with Cleveland.
Lindor also is batting .263 with eight homers and 21 RBIs in 41 playoff games.
Also on Tuesday, the Mets acquired left-handed reliever Bryan Hudson from the Chicago White Sox for cash considerations. Righty Reed Garrett, who had Tommy John surgery in October and is expected to miss the 2026 season, was placed on the 60-day injured list in a corresponding move.
Hudson, 28, appeared in a combined 16 games last season for the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago White Sox, going 0-1 with a 4.80 ERA, 13 walks and 19 strikeouts in 15 innings of relief. Chicago selected him off waivers from the Brewers on Aug. 3, 2025, and designated him for assignment on Feb. 4.
For his career, the 6-foot-8 Hudson is 6-2 with a 2.83 ERA, 34 walks and 88 strikeouts in 86 innings over 65 relief appearances with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2023), Brewers (2024-25) and White Sox.
The Chicago Cubs selected Hudson in the third round of the 2015 MLB Draft.
--Field Level Media
