Francisco Lindor edges closer to Alex Rodriguez as Mets shortstop joins elite club with 30 HRs in 5 different seasons

After a sluggish start to the season, Francisco Lindor of the Mets has elevated himself to become one of MLB's best hitters this season. As was recently divulged on X, Lindor is closing in on some pretty exclusive company.

On Sept. 3, Lindor connected for his 30th home run of the 2024 season for the fifth time in his career. Soon thereafter, SNY published an infographic showing how Lindor is now tied with Ernie Banks for second on the list of shortstops with the most 30-home-run seasons.

"Francisco Lindor is making history with his performance this season" - SNY Mets

First on the list is Alex Rodriguez, who began his career as a shortstop for the 1994 Seattle Mariners. Though Rodriguez eventually transitioned to third base, he hit 30 home runs seven times while shortstop was his primary position.

Lindor's home run against the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday represented the second straight season that he has hit 30 bombs, and the fifth time since 2017. A .352 hitter over the past two weeks, calls for Lindor to be considered for the NL MVP Award have been slowly intensifying among observers.

Calls for Francisco Lindor to be named MVP grow

In a recent appearance on MLB Network, former Mets manager Buck Showalter made a strong claim. According to the former manager, Francisco Lindor's play makes him a better candidate for MVP than Shohei Ohtani. Showalter said:

"Lindor is a premium position guy... he can go 0-for-4 and win a game, those DHs can't go 0-for-4 and win a game."

In a field of MVP candidates that is more competitive than ever, Lindor has set himself apart. Whether or not his prolific hitting will be enough for him to be crowned with the league's highest honor remains to be seen.

"Francisco Lindor sends this baseball to space! He now has a 30-homer season for the 5th time in his career!" - MLB

Since starting the season with a 1-for-31 slump, Lindor has corrected his hitting in a very significant way. Since May 1, the Puerto Rican has recorded a .291 batting average to complement his 24 home runs and 70 RBIs recorded during that time. He is also on pace to hit his most home runs since 2019 and currently boasts his best slugging percentage since his 2019 campaign with the Cleveland Indians.