Francisco Lindor’s wife calls out his former teammate over leadership comment

Feb 25, 2021; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) walks from the batting cage during spring training workouts at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor got called out by one of his former teammates this week, and his wife did not take kindly to it.

Longtime Cleveland infielder Jason Kipnis appeared on the “Foul Territory” podcast this week and discussed the Mets’ ongoing struggles. At one point, he said the Mets were suffering from a lack of leadership, and pointedly included Lindor as part of that problem.

.@TheJK_Kid on the Mets: "All those veterans and no leadership."@aj_pierzynskiFT: "You played with Lindor. Was he a leader?"

Kip: "I'm gonna repeat it again…" 😬 #FTLive pic.twitter.com/I0xiJUtOAO

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) May 16, 2023

“All those veterans and no leadership,” Kipnis said of the Mets.

When pressed by co-host AJ Pierzynski about the remark and his time playing with Lindor, Kipnis essentially doubled down.

“I’m gonna repeat it again. All those veterans and no leadership,” he said.

Lindor took the high road when asked about Kipnis’ comments, saying he had not talked to his former teammate and had nothing to add. Lindor’s wife Katia, however, was not so kind. She accused Kipnis of being a “bully” in the clubhouse, and suggested that Lindor’s refusal to fire back was the mark of a real leader.

My husband is such a classy person, would never say what a bully Kipnis was in the clubhouse. Sounds like a true leader versus the opposite of a leader 🤷🏽‍♀️ https://t.co/J4gKo3JruM

— Katia Reguero Lindor (@RegueroKatia) May 19, 2023

For what it’s worth, Kipnis had offered something of a defense of Lindor on Wednesday after his initial comments surfaced, saying Lindor had not been expected to be a leader due to his relative youth when the two played together.

The 29-year-old Lindor may or may not be a leader, but few would argue that his performance has not been good enough in 2023, as he is hitting a modest .235 with 6 home runs. He clearly has the steadfast support of his wife, who is expecting the couple’s second child next month.