Shohei Ohtani and Francisco Lindor almost certainly are going to finish first and second in the running for the MVP award in the National League, and they reciprocated appreciation and mutual admiration for each other Tuesday at Citi Field.
But only one thing matters to them now as they continue to square off in the tied-up NLCS between the Mets and the Dodgers.
“My impression of [Lindor] is that he’s a really good guy. He smiles a lot. I do feel like he’s leading the [Mets] club, as well,” Ohtani said through a translator ahead of Wednesday’s Game 3. “I think both of us are in this position where what we did in the regular season is over.
“What matters is what we produce during the postseason. I do feel like we’re perhaps connected in the same sense.”
Lindor ripped a leadoff homer to spark the Mets’ series-evening 7-3 win in Game 2 at Dodger Stadium.
When informed of Ohtani’s compliments, Lindor at first joked, “I admire his shoes. He’s got cool cleats,” before praising the Japanese superstar’s ability to handle all of the international attention he garners.
“I admire the ability to stay within himself. I mean, he’s a guy that, from Day 1, has had a lot of pressure on him,” Lindor said. “There’s been a lot of eyes and cameras on him, and his ability to stay within himself and to not get too big and to stay the course, that, to me, that’s brilliant.”
Ohtani is batting .222 through seven games in the first postseason run of his seven-year career. Interestingly, he is 6-for-8 with runners on base, and 0-for-19 with nobody aboard.
“Regardless of however they are pitching to me, my plan is to stay with the same approach, as much as possible and not really be too focused on how they attack me,” Ohtani said.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza doesn’t expect his pitchers to approach Ohtani any differently as the series continues.
“I don’t think you change. He’s Shohei Ohtani. He’s one of the best hitters in the league,” Mendoza said. “Whether there’s nobody on base or people on base, you’ve got your work cut out. … He’s an elite hitter. He’s dangerous. I don’t think it changes much.”
Follow The Post’s coverage of the Mets in the postseason:
- Mets start fast in Game 2 win vs. Dodgers
- Dodgers made it ‘personal’ for Mark Vientos before grand slam
- How the Mets delivered the perfect response after Game 1 loss
- Mets bullpen delivers to even series
When Ohtani was asked about other big names such as Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez and Aaron Judge struggling in the postseason, he replied, “It’s hard for me to say if I’m at the same standard as the players you mentioned.”
He is, of course.
“Again, this is my first experience in the postseason, so I can’t really rely on the experiences or my reflection in the past,” Ohtani added. “But what I do know is that we’ve been playing against good teams, better teams, with their best pitchers.
during the first inning of Game 2. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
“So being able to get base hits, put up results isn’t as easy maybe as it could be.”
To that end, Mendoza repeated what he’d said about Pete Alonso before the Mets slugger broke out with a key home run earlier in the playoffs against the Brewers.
“They’re always one swing away. … They are elite. And there’s a reason why,” Mendoza said. “There’s times when they’re going to struggle, but there’s also times when they’re going to be huge.
“And whether it’s Aaron Judge, Barry Bonds, Ohtani, you name it, there’s a reason why they’re superstars.”
