Francisco Lindor could name three of the four off the top of his head.

Among the All-Star Game oddities before this season was the fact Lindor, a premier shortstop of this generation — and likely future Hall of Famer — had never been chosen as a starter for the Midsummer Classic. He served as an American League backup all four times he was selected with Cleveland.

So, who were the four shortstops who started ahead of him? Lindor correctly identified Xander Bogaerts (2016), Carlos Correa (2017) and Manny Machado (2018). But Lindor guessed Bogaerts also started ahead of him in 2019, when the honor went to Jorge Polanco.

On Tuesday, a starting job will finally belong to Lindor, in <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/07/03/sports/francisco-lindors-wife-kids-celebrate-his-all-star-nod-in-sweet-scene/">his first All-Star appearance for the Mets</a>. Teammates Pete Alonso, Edwin Diaz and roster replacement David Peterson <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/07/10/sports/mets-david-peterson-named-all-star-replacement/">will join him in Atlanta</a>.

For Francisco Lindor, the honor in starting the All-Star Game is linked to the manner in which it was decided.{ai:summary}<p>Francisco Lindor, a top shortstop and likely future Hall of Famer, has never been a starter in the All-Star Game until now. Previously, he was a backup four times while with Cleveland, overshadowed by players like Xander Bogaerts and Carlos Correa.</p><p>This year, Lindor will finally start in the All-Star Game for the Mets, joined by teammates Pete Alonso, Edwin Diaz, and David Peterson in Atlanta. #sports</p>

Why this All-Star nod is extra meaningful for the Mets’ Francisco Lindor

Loading...