LOS ANGELES — Francisco Lindor was absent from the Mets’ starting lineup in Thursday’s 6-5 loss to the Dodgers after X-rays revealed a broken pinky toe on his right foot.
The Mets shortstop was drilled in the foot by a Tony Gonsolin slider leading off the game the previous night but managed to play all nine innings through discomfort.
Lindor said the injury is a pain tolerance issue and he will be evaluated on a daily basis.
“It hurts,” Lindor said. “And even more so when you are wearing shoes.”
Even so, Lindor tried to talk his way into Thursday’s starting lineup, according to Carlos Mendoza, but was rebuffed by the manager.
Luisangel Acuña started at shortstop and went 1-for-5 in the series finale against the Dodgers.
Lindor’s injury occurred a day after Mookie Betts returned to action for the Dodgers after missing four games with a broken toe.
Betts’ injury occurred in the middle of the night on a trip to the bathroom.
Neither Lindor nor Mendoza deem the injured list as a possibility for the Mets shortstop.
“I feel like we got really good news here,” Mendoza said. “It’s fractured, but in an area where it’s just pain tolerance. [The trainers] were telling me if it was the joint it would have been something more serious, but this is something he is going to have to deal with it and we’re giving him today, but knowing him he is going to continue to fight.”
Would DH be a possibility for Lindor this weekend in Colorado?
“The way I see it is, if I am good enough to hit and run and I should be good enough to play shortstop,” Lindor said. “But at the end of the day, I trust the trainers and whenever they think it’s going to be best I will go with that.”
Ronny Mauricio, who was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse this week with Mark Vientos placed on the IL with a hamstring strain, is another candidate to play shortstop if needed.
After starting the previous two games of the series, Mauricio was on the bench Thursday.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if Lindor comes in [Friday] and says he is good to go,” Mendoza said.
Mets prospect Jonah Tong was named Eastern League Pitcher of the Month for May.
The right-hander, pitching for Double-A Binghamton, led the league with a 1.35 ERA and 42 strikeouts in five starts. Tong, 21, pitched 6 ²/₃ perfect innings against Reading on May 10 as part of a combined perfect game of seven innings in a doubleheader.
