NY Mets’ Francisco Lindor takes responsibility after costly mental error vs Cardinals

Mets star Francisco Lindor took responsibility for a costly first‑inning mental lapse that contributed to New York’s 11‑inning loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Updated on April 02, 2026 12:05PM EDT

**© Ishika Samant/Getty Images**Francisco Lindor accepts blame for a first-inning mental lapse.

The New York Mets suffered a frustrating 2-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday, with shortstop Francisco Lindor at the center of attention. A first-inning mental mistake and a later baserunning miscue contributed to the Mets falling in 11 innings, despite Juan Soto hitting a solo home run.

Lindor acknowledged his role in the outcome, saying he forgot the number of outs during the first inning. The lapse forced Freddy Peralta to throw extra pitches, extending the inning and potentially altering the game’s momentum.“Inexcusable,” Lindor said according to MLB.com. “I just forgot the outs,” he admitted.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza defended Lindor’s later baserunning pickoff but stressed the importance of avoiding first‑inning lapses. The error underscored the team’s ongoing struggles with focus and execution early in games, after Mendoza stuttered while calling out Mets stars Bichette and Lindor.

How the first inning unfolded

With one out, Ivan Herrera singled to get on base. The next batter grounded to Lindor, who tagged second base, unaware it was the inning’s second out. Instead of turning a double play at first, he began moving toward the dugout before realizing the mistake. Peralta managed to strike out the next batter but needed five extra pitches to do so.

Looks like Francisco Lindor forgot how many outs there were on this potential double play. 😬

A rare mental mistake from the Mets shortstop. pic.twitter.com/4rCyO9NdZ1
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) April 1, 2026

Later in the sixth inning, Lindor reached base on an error and was picked off before Soto came to the plate. Soto’s subsequent home run would have been a two-run shot, meaning Lindor’s miscue directly impacted the scoring opportunity.

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Looking ahead for the Mets

The loss leaves the Mets at 3-3 on the season. They head into a weekend series against the San Francisco Giants, hoping to regroup and limit mental errors that have cost them games early this season. Mendoza emphasized that while aggressiveness is encouraged, attention to situational awareness remains a top priority for his team.

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Alexander Rosquez

Alexander Rosquez is a bilingual sports writer, fluent in English and Spanish, who joined Bolavip in June 2024. Bringing over 15 years of media experience, Alexander has covered a wide range of sports events, including soccer, MLB, and NHL. His expertise lies in real-time coverage of competitions across various globally relevant sports leagues. Before joining Bolavip, he gained extensive experience in MLB and soccer coverage for both national and international media outlets. His discipline in sports event coverage and meticulous attention to detail make him a valuable asset to the Bolavip team.