Buck Showalter served as the manager of the New York Mets during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, during which he learned plenty about the working relationship between star shortstop Francisco Lindor and utility man Jeff McNeil.
During a recent appearance on the “Foul Territory” program, Showalter discussed the supposed issues between Lindor and McNeil that allegedly have impacted the Mets for years.
Francisco Lindor, Jeff McNeil “are different”
“Jeff and Francisco are different,” Showalter explained, per Alex Smith of SNY. “Jeff’s a Long Beach State Dirtbag, loves everything about the game, thinks the world is against him sometimes, with line drives at people. Lindor is a very stylish, worldly guy, but it works. I called them together the first day that I got there, and I had heard a lot of stuff, and we didn’t have a problem. Jeff, I think, led the whole globe in hitting. Nobody on the globe hit for a higher batting average than Jeff McNeil.”
During a game that occurred in the spring of 2021, Lindor reportedly “grabbed McNeil by the throat and pinned him against a wall in the tunnel” following an argument related to McNeil committing a defensive “positioning” mistake. Lindor later vowed to buy McNeil a vehicle if the latter claimed the National League batting title for the 2022 season, which he did. However, news about McNeil receiving a blue Ford Bronco purchased by Lindor didn’t go public until November 2023.
Most recently, a report from Thanksgiving weekend revealed that Lindor and McNeil had a “heated confrontation” on June 20 of this year regarding a defensive lapse McNeil had during a game at the Philadelphia Phillies.
In the end, a 2025 Mets side that may have been the most disappointing in the league failed to qualify for the playoffs.
Were Francisco Lindor, Jeff McNeil to blame for Mets’ woes in 2025?
“I think if you actually knew everything that went on behind the scenes with relationships when you’re thrown together for eight months, seven months…I mean, heck, I’ve been married for 43 years, and there’s not a day goes by that I don’t have to just shut up,” Showalter added while discussing the 2025 Mets. “But that’s okay. That’s not why they had a tough year. Their pitching wasn’t very good.”
McNeil was a subject of trade rumors even before the Mets altered their clubhouse by trading outfielder Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for second baseman Marcus Semien. It remains to be seen if McNeil will still be with the Mets when players report to spring training in February.