'Daddy's got to work': Lindor cherishes dugout moment with daughters

Francisco Lindor always has a smile on his face, and the dugout moment he shared with his daughters on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium will put one on yours.

After Lindor homered for the first time in the fifth inning of the Mets' big 12-3 Subway Series victory over the Yankees -- and after completing his dugout celebration with the OMG sign, of course -- Lindor delivered some gum to his daughter in the stands. Kalina Lindor was awaiting her dad's special delivery at the edge of the dugout with a tiny helmet in hand and, like father like daughter, a huge smile on her face.

"They've been [sitting near the on-deck circle] before, but this one was way closer because she's right next to the dugout," Lindor said. "It was cool. I was happy to have my girls there."

Kalina already has an adorable place in Mets lore as a big fan of former Mets manager Buck Showalter. At a press conference in 2022, she sounded out "Buck" while sitting on her dad's lap, and then was fired up to see the skipper win Manager of the Year a few months later.

Lindor's wife, Katia, and daughters Kalina and Amapola are frequent visitors at Mets games, and they got to see the star shortstop rule the night across town in the Bronx. Lindor homered for a second time as part of a six-run eighth inning, his second multihomer game since the All-Star break to run his season total to 21 dingers.

After that clout from the right side of the plate, the ESPN cameras again found his family in the stands and caught Kalina in the middle of a "Let's Go Mets" chant.

"[Kalina] loved it. She was talking the whole entire time. At one point, I was like, 'Baby girl, you've got to pay attention to the game. Daddy's got to work.' But she's at an age where she's amazing. Amapola as well. They're at an age where they're living their best life. And so am I."

Something about that Subway Series rivalry seems to bring out the best in Lindor, who had four hits in the first two games of this year's set at Citi Field (both Mets victories), and also had a three-homer game against the Yankees in Queens in 2021.

But those small moments shared with his daughters in the stands made this one just a little more special.

-- with Anthony DiComo