Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor came into spring training aiming to become a “five-tool player” that could do everything on the baseball diamond, and one of the areas he really wanted to shore up was defense.
Well, if the first game of the 2018 regular season is any indication, Lindor is well on his way to accomplishing that goal, as he made a diving stop that kept the Seattle Mariners off the scoreboard in the fifth inning of their 2-1 win over the Indians at Safeco Field in Seattle Thursday night.
“With a guy on second, I was just making sure that I kept the ball in front of me, just dive and whatever happens, just make sure I keep the ball in front of me, keep the ball in the infield,” Lindor said of the diving stop.
“As you saw, it hit the tip of the glove, and then, I realized I had a chance because the catcher was running. That’s when I turned around and threw to first.”
Francisco Lindor is already in midseason form!!! 👀#OpeningDay pic.twitter.com/oodKU0CHgN
With one out and right fielder Mitch Haniger on second base after swatting a ground-rule double to left field, catcher Mike Marjama hit a grounder up the middle of the field, but it would not make it to the outfield as Lindor dove at and corralled the ball.
After the ball ricocheted off of his glove, Lindor scrambled to his feet, picked up the ball and hustled a throw down to first baseman Yonder Alonso and got Marjama out by more than a step.
“It was a good play,” Indians starter Corey Kluber said. “It probably saves us a run right there. Keeping it a two-run game instead of a three-run game at that point is big, but we’re used to that kind of thing by now, take it for granted almost.”
Lindor’s diving play was not the only impactful defensive play he had against the Mariners, as he initiated inning-ending double plays in the bottom of the second and third frames.
For Lindor, it was his way of doing what he could to help the team succeed despite struggling at the plate, and ultimately, going 0 for 4 against the Mariners in the first game of the season.
“Plays like that and helping out the pitching staff, Kluber did a great job,” Lindor said. “I didn’t help him hitting today, but I guess that’s part of the game. He did a great job and we couldn’t come through for him.”
