Giants vs. Mets Tuesday MLB injury report, probable pitchers, odds: Francisco Lindor expected to be activated from injured list

The New York Mets are fading from contention in the NL East largely because of a hugely disappointing offense, but there's still time to make a late push and the Mets should welcome back their highest-paid player on Tuesday from a long injured list stint in star shortstop Francisco Lindor. New York is a short favorite at Caesars Sportsbook against the visiting San Francisco Giants, the team with the best record in the majors.

New York will have one of the most defensively spectacular double-play combinations in MLB history – and I'm not exaggerating – with Lindor back and paired with his good friend and fellow Puerto Rican Javy Baez, who was of course acquired at last month's Trade Deadline. Baez, a 2020 Gold Glover winner, had been playing his usual position of shortstop but will move to second base. He just returned from the injured list himself Sunday.

Lindor has been out since July 16 with an oblique injury. The four-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner wasn't off to a great start offensively in batting .228 with 11 homers, 36 RBIs and a .702 OPS in 87 games but was heating up before the injury. Lindor may have been pressing initially after getting a 10-year, $341 million extension with the Mets at the start of the season following his trade from Cleveland.

New York has fallen two games under .500 and is a +650 long shot to make the postseason. The Mets are in a murderous stretch of schedule where they are playing 13 straight games vs. the Giants and Dodgers, but things get much easier starting Friday vs. Washington. New York is the first team to play 13 straight games against teams with a .600 winning percentage or better at least 100 games into a season since the 1980 Blue Jays.

It's rookie Tylor Megill (1-2, 3.21) on the mound Tuesday. He took a no-decision last Wednesday in San Francisco, allowing one run and five hits over six. Megill has been much better overall at home with a 2.45 ERA.

San Francisco counters with rookie lefty Sammy Long (1-1, 5.72). He was called up from Triple-A over the weekend and will take the rotation spot of Anthony DeSclafani, who landed on the injured list. Long likely won't go more than four innings or so. He hasn't faced the Mets.

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