Francisco Lindor is leading the Mets' charge and challenging Shohei Ohtani for NL MVP

NEW YORK (AP) — Most of this summer, the NL MVP race looked like a one-man Sho.

Francisco Lindor has turned it into a hot topic.

With his laudable leadership and everyday brilliance on both sides of the ball, the New York Mets’ streaking shortstop is giving Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani a real run for his money.

“I’m glad that I don’t have to vote,” Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said this week at Citi Field. “It’ll be interesting. The kid is doing everything.”

A proud Cora still calls the 30-year-old star “kid” because he's known Lindor and his family since Lindor was a Little Leaguer in Puerto Rico. And certainly, Mr. Smile plays ball with a refreshingly boyish joy even 10 seasons into his marvelous major league career.

But there's nothing callow about the way he's carrying the Mets during a pressurized National League playoff chase.

“Every time he’s at the plate, we feel good about our chances,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He’s locked in right now.”

“He's got a hard job. Playing shortstop for the New York Mets is not an easy job,” Mendoza added. "And the way he’s doing it on an elite level, both sides of the ball, whether it’s defensively, offensively, baserunning, and the impact in the locker room, the impact in the organization — so yeah, we’re talking about a special guy here.”

Walking up to “My Girl” by The Temptations, Lindor is batting .365 with six homers, eight doubles, 12 RBIs and 15 runs during a 15-game hitting streak that matches his career best. The leadoff man has reached base in a career-high 33 straight games, the longest active streak in the majors.

Not coincidentally, the Mets (76-64) have won seven in a row and are tied with the rival Atlanta Braves for the final NL wild card.

Quite a turnaround for a team that was 11 games under .500 in early June. And now, Lindor is serenaded with “MVP! MVP!” chants every night at Citi Field.

“I feel the love from the fans," Lindor said Tuesday after hosting kids at the ballpark for his regular charity program promoting dental hygiene. "But, I've got to win. I've got to win. I've got to win. I've got to win. I've got to be in the postseason. And I think that’s what the fans are demanding, and that’s what I want.”

Lindor provides much more than offensive production — and that's where the MVP debate takes shape.

The dazzling Ohtani is hitting .290 with 44 home runs, 99 RBIs, 111 runs and a .988 OPS over 137 games in his first season with the NL West-leading Dodgers (84-56) since signing a $700 million contract as a free agent.

He tops the NL in homers, runs, slugging (.613), total bases (334) and OPS, as the Japanese superstar attempts to join Hall of Famer Frank Robinson as the only players to win an MVP award in both leagues.

And with 46 stolen bases to go with his 44 homers, Ohtani is nearing the first 50/50 season in big league history, with 22 games left to accomplish the feat.

Lindor's numbers at the plate, impressive as they are, don't quite stack up with all that: After a dreadful start (he got booed at home early and was batting .190 on May 18), the switch-hitter is at .274 with 30 homers, 84 RBIs, 98 runs, 26 steals and an .844 OPS.

However, the durable Lindor also delivers steady and sometimes spectacular glove work at a premium defensive position. In the third season of a $341 million, 10-year deal, he's played in all 140 games for New York, starting 139 at shortstop.

“It’s part of my contract to show up and be here every single day and I take a lot of pride in that,” he said. "I love being able to post up. I love to be consistent, not only on the playing field but how I treat people and how I walk around and who I am as a person. ... And if I win MVP, it would be a dream — but I want to win a World Series.”

Ohtani took home AL MVP trophies in 2021 and 2023 as a two-way player enjoying unprecedented success for the Los Angeles Angels. But he's not pitching this season while rehabbing from another elbow operation, so it's impossible to dismiss he doesn't contribute at all on defense.

No primary designated hitter — besides Ohtani when also a pitcher — has won an MVP award. Don Baylor made 65 starts at DH for the 1979 Angels and 97 in the outfield.

Lindor leads Ohtani 7.3 to 6.6 in total Wins Above Replacement (WAR), according to the FanGraphs formula. Ohtani is ahead 7.0 to 6.3 on Baseball-Reference.com.

Much more difficult to measure, of course, are intangibles like leadership.

“It’s crazy how he went from zero to 100,” young Mets third baseman Mark Vientos said about Lindor. “Coming to the field every day, seeing him put his head down and work as hard as he does, and I say to myself, `Hey, like, if the franchise guy is working that hard, why am I not working hard?’ So he’s made me better this season, and like I said, he’s been a big part of my success.”

Lindor notably called a players-only meeting following an ugly loss to the Dodgers on May 29. As players explained it, the Mets aired some issues in the clubhouse that day and committed themselves to positivity, effective preparation and a team-first approach dedicated to helping each other and winning games.

Since then, with Lindor leading the charge, they have the best record in the majors at 54-31.

“It's easy to quantify what he does on the field, and that’s really impressive. Much harder to quantify the impact he has both by what he says and also by how he acts," Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said. "He works so hard, he takes so much pride in his own preparation — but also ensuring that his teammates prepare appropriately. And it’s the entire package that I think allows him to contribute so much to the organization.”

Or, as Cora put it: “He’s just an impactful individual. There’s a vibe about him that not too many guys have at the big league level. From the walk-up song — this place is going nuts — to his smile, to the energy, to the commitment, to the structure, to the discipline. This kid is on point with everything.”

“He has learned the hard way here in New York, right?” Cora added. “I think that right now, he’s the guy for them. Everything revolves around him. ... I think this year he has put everything together.”

With all that in mind, Stearns was asked recently what the most valuable player looks like.

“I think he looks like the guy who runs out to shortstop every day for us at 7 o’clock,” Stearns said with a smile. “It’s been an unbelievable season to watch. We’re getting to the point, I think, where we’re talking about perhaps the greatest individual position-player season in the history of this franchise. I’ve been around some really special seasons. I’ve been around some MVP seasons. This is right up there with anything I’ve seen on a day-to-day basis.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Mets' Francisco Lindor looks back at his teammates after his lead-off single during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Jake McCarthy (31) slides into second base safely under the tag by New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor in the third inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor reacts after applying a tag on San Diego Padres' Jackson Merrill for an out during a stolen base attempt in the seventh inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Brandon Sloter)

New York Mets' Francisco Lindor, right, rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run as Chicago White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas, left, looks on during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

New York Mets' Francisco Lindor hits an RBI single against the Boston Red Sox during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New York Mets' Francisco Lindor (12) scores a run against the Arizona Diamondbacks on a sacrifice fly out by Jesse Winker in the fifth inning during a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug 27, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

New York Mets' Francisco Lindor celebrates with teammates after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

New York Mets' Francisco Lindor, left, celebrates with Brandon Nimmo, right, after they defeated the Chicago White Sox in a baseball game in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

New York Mets' Francisco Lindor, left, returns a ball to a fan after autographing it before a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

New York Mets' Francisco Lindor reacts after hitting a solo home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the sixth inning during a baseball game, Thursday, Aug 29, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

New York Mets' Francisco Lindor reacts after hitting a solo home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the sixth inning during a baseball game, Thursday, Aug 29, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

New York Mets' Francisco Lindor (12) reacts after hitting an RBI single against the Boston Red Sox during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) reacts after hitting an RBI single against the Boston Red Sox during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, right, makes a jumping throw on a single hit by San Diego Padres' Xander Bogaerts during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Brandon Sloter)

New York Mets' Francisco Lindor, left, scores a runs after beating the throw to Boston Red Sox catcher Connor Wong during the third inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) follows through on his two run home run against the Boston Red Sox during the third inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New York Mets' Francisco Lindor reacts after hitting a two run home run against the Boston Red Sox during the third inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

Another athletics opponent of San Jose State has grappled with whether to play the school in volleyball.

The University of Nevada made it clear Monday that its Oct. 26 match against San Jose State would go on as scheduled after the team’s players released an independent statement a day prior saying they would forfeit.

“We demand that our right to safety and fair competition on the court be upheld,” the players’ statement read. “We refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes.”

Boise State, Southern Utah, Utah State and Wyoming previously canceled matches this season against San Jose State, with none of the schools explicitly saying why they were forfeiting.

The Republican governors of Idaho, Utah and Wyoming have made public statements in support of the cancellations, citing a need for fairness in women’s sports.

Nevada’s athletic department cited state equality laws as the reason it couldn’t back out of its match, while acknowledging most of the players said they wouldn’t take the court.

The athletic department also stated the university is “governed by federal law as well as the rules and regulations of the NCAA and the Mountain West Conference, which include providing competition in an inclusive and supportive environment.”

Nevada’s Republican lieutenant governor also supported a cancellation before the school corrected its course.

The athletic department said players will not be subject to disciplinary action if they refuse to participate in the match.

“The players’ decision and statement were made independently, and without consultation with the University or the athletic department,” Nevada athletics’ statement read. “The players’ decision also does not represent the position of the University.”

Nevada senior Sia Liilii told OutKick the team was upset with its athletic department.

“We decided that we’re going to stand in solidarity with other teams that have already forfeited and that we wouldn’t participate in a game that advances sex-based discrimination or injustice against female athletes,” Liilii told the website.

The cancellations could cause some teams to not qualify for the conference tournament Nov. 27-30 in Las Vegas.

AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports

San Jose State head coach Todd Kress, center back, talks to his players during a timeout during the first set of an NCAA college volleyball match against Colorado State, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Fort Collins, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

San Jose State players huddle before an NCAA college volleyball match against Colorado State, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Fort Collins, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)