Cleveland Indians: Francisco Lindor’s rough series in Chicago

The Cleveland Indians did not get much help from Francisco Lindor in Chicago. He wasn’t the reason the team lost the series but his play did not help.

Focusing on the bad isn’t going to change anything for the Cleveland Indians.

But analysis sometimes covers the bad when there isn’t too much good to be found.

Francisco Lindor is a star and he is only going to keep getting better with more experience. Indians fans are just hoping he gets better as a member of the Indians and not elsewhere.

Lindor is still young but he is relied upon as one of the keys on offense. That is why his series in Chicago was so frustrating. The young shortstop has a history of struggling in big moments, as can be expected from such a young player.

2019 marks his fourth full season in the big leagues so it is fair to start wondering when the struggles will turn into him becoming a late-season, and hopefully October, legend.

This is not the year as Lindor laid an egg in the team’s most important series of the year. Lindor went 1-for-14 against the White Sox with seven strikeouts and zero walks. His only hit came in the team’s 11-3 victory on Tuesday when everything was still positive.

Then came zero hits in nine at-bats in two must-win games. Absolutely brutal from the leadoff hitter.

It’s not like Lindor was the only one struggling. The entire offense managed only 10 hits in the two losses and were outscored 16-3. Take away Jose Ramirez‘s seven RBIs on Tuesday and the rest of the group didn’t do much to fight for a playoff spot.

One series does not take away from what Lindor did all season. He was an All-Star for the fourth straight year and it is clear he is one of the better young players in all of baseball. Yet it is still fair to be frustrated when he struggles in big moments.

It is just important to remember that he is the most frustrated of all.

I’m not entirely sure of what else to say. The team’s best player struggled and the rest of the offense couldn’t lift him up. Similar to what Cavaliers fans saw for so long, I suppose.