Francisco Lindor excited to play with Javier Baez when he returns to Mets' lineup

The Mets acquired Baez, a longtime friend of Lindor, from the Cubs at the July 30 trade deadline in exchange for outfield prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong.

At the time, Lindor said he "couldn't be happier" the Mets traded for Baez, adding, "I can't wait for him to come out here and put on a show for everybody."

Lindor and Baez both went to high school in Florida, frequently playing against each other. They were then drafted back-to-back in 2011, with Lindor going eighth overall to Cleveland and Baez ninth to the Cubs. The duo were also teammates with Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.

When Lindor returns from his oblique strain, Baez could shift to second base or even third if needed. 

Baez will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2021 season. It's unclear if the Mets will offer him a contract extension after handing Lindor a 10-year, $341 million deal. 

The Mets are second in the National League East with a 56-53 record, 0.5 games behind the first-place Philadelphia Phillies. New York is 3-7 in its last 10 games.