Carlos Mendoza shook up the Mets lineup for Friday’s matinee against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, moving rookie Carson Benge into the leadoff spot and dropping Francisco Lindor to third. The change came as the Mets tried to snap an eight-game losing streak.
Benge entered Friday with a.464 OPS, a rough start for the rookie, while Lindor began the day at.577. The reshuffle was meant to give a sputtering lineup an offensive jolt after New York had averaged just 1.5 runs during the skid.
Lindor’s recent stretch showed why Mendoza felt compelled to make a move. He had a two-hit game, including a home run, against the Dodgers on Tuesday, then went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts a day later. That kind of swing has left the Mets searching for any stable source of offense as they opened the game in Chicago.
For Mendoza, the decision was less about punishment than urgency. The Mets needed production, and Friday’s order was built around the hope that Benge could provide a spark at the top while Lindor, one of the team’s most important bats, found better looks later in the lineup. Whether the adjustment changes the broader course of the season is not the question anymore. The Mets need it to work now.