Francisco Lindor plans to pay up if his double-play partner leads the National League in hitting.
Early this season, the Mets shortstop told Jeff McNeil he would buy him a car if McNeil won the batting title this year. McNeil finished Tuesday’s doubleheader sweep of the Nationals with a .326 batting average, four points ahead of Freddie Freeman for the NL lead with one game remaining.
Lindor, asked by The Post on Tuesday if the car offer was still valid, answered in the affirmative.
“But what kind of car I don’t know,” Lindor said. “That was not specified in the negotiations.”
McNeil is attempting to become the first Mets player to win a batting title since Jose Reyes in 2011. Reyes secured his title on the final day of the season by bunting for a hit in his first at-bat and then departing the game.
“It’s a little nerve racking and kind of fun,” McNeil said after the Mets won 4-2 and 8-0. “It’s the only award I can really look forward to. I am never going to lead the majors in home runs. It’s kind of the one that is attainable for me and I am super excited with my day today.”
McNeil went 2-for-3 in the first game of the doubleheader. In the nightcap he homered in the first inning and finished 1-for-5.
Still to be decided is how McNeil will approach Wednesday’s regular-season finale. Among the possibilities is he could sit out to protect his lead.
“Before the Braves series I knew I was somewhat close, but I wasn’t expecting to be where I am right now,” McNeil said. “It’s been a pretty great last seven games. I got hot at the right time and I am super happy I have a chance to do it.”
Lindor said he is ready to celebrate a McNeil batting title.
“I hope he wins it,” Lindor said.
Lindor hasn’t dropped any hints about what kind of car might be awaiting him if he wins the title, according to McNeil.
“I’ll have a conversation with him,” McNeil said.
Though Starling Marte isn’t swinging a bat or throwing yet, manager Buck Showalter hasn’t lost hope the outfielder will return for the postseason. Marte has been sidelined for over a month with a fractured middle finger.
“I am trying to be optimistic about it,” Showalter said. “I can tell in Starling’s face he is very frustrated.”
The Mets named third baseman Brett Baty as their Minor League Position Player of the Year and Dominic Hamel as Minor League Pitcher of the Year.
Baty owned a .315/.410./.533 slash line with 19 homers and 60 RBIs for Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse. He spent two weeks with the Mets before undergoing surgery to repair a torn thumb ligament.
Hamel, a right-hander, pitched for Low-A St. Lucie and High-A Brooklyn this season, going 10-3 with a 3.25 ERA in 25 appearances, mostly as a starter. Hamel struck out 145 batters in 119 innings.
