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Francisco Lindor reacts during a Mets game after the team revealed a major new development ahead of the upcoming series against the Reds.

The New York Mets revealed a major new development involving Francisco Lindor on Monday ahead of their upcoming series against the Cincinnati Reds, immediately drawing attention around the status of the star shortstop.

The update arrives at a critical point in the season as the Mets continue battling to get back into the postseason race in the National League standings.

Before a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field, the Mets made a major announcement about Lindor’s comeback from a calf injury.

Mets Reveal Major New Francisco Lindor Development

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza announced Monday that Lindor has started a running progression and is now engaged in baseball activities, including fielding grounders and hitting, for the first time since landing on the 10-day injured list April 22 with a left calf strain, Max Goodman of NJ.com reported. The development marked the first real sign of progress for the five-time All-Star, who the Mets said had still not begun running as recently as Sunday morning.

Lindor will still require a minor league rehab assignment before being activated, meaning a return during the current Reds series is not in the cards. RotoWire projects June 18 as an estimated return date, though Mendoza stopped short of attaching any specific timeline to the shortstop’s activation. The 32-year-old, signed through 2031 at $341 million, has appeared in just 24 of the club’s 53 games this season heading into the Reds series.

The Lindor news was one of several injury updates Mendoza delivered Monday. Catcher Francisco Alvarez, sidelined with a hand injury, is already swinging the bat and could return well ahead of his initial eight-week timetable.

“He’s built different,” Mendoza said of Alvarez, as Goodman reported.

Infielder Jorge Polanco is expected to begin a minor league rehab assignment at some point this week. Reliever A.J. Minter and infielder Jared Young are both expected to be activated from the IL on Tuesday. Pitcher Kodai Senga has another rehab outing lined up for Thursday.

Mets Get Injection of Hope at Memorial Day

The wave of positive developments arrived at a moment when New York badly needs them. The Mets enter Memorial Day at 22-31. Their roster has been shredded by injury all spring, with four of their nine Opening Day regulars — Lindor, Alvarez, Polanco and center fielder Luis Robert Jr. — spending significant time on the shelf. No new update on Robert emerged Monday.

Lindor posted a .226 average with two home runs and 14 runs scored in the 24 games he played before going down. In 2025, Lindor was one of just seven players in baseball to post a 30-30 season, finishing with 31 homers, 31 stolen bases and 117 runs scored.

Monday night’s series opener at Citi Field sends right-hander Nolan McLean to the mound against Cincinnati’s Nick Lodolo. Manager Terry Francona’s team arrives at 27-25, within reach in the NL Wild Card picture. A sweep, or even a series win, would do little to transform New York’s standing, but a Lindor return timed for mid-June could reshape the final two months of the Mets’ season entirely.