New York Mets and Puerto Rico captain Francisco Lindor has expressed interest in playing in Puerto Rico’s Liga de Beisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente this winter, per a post on The Baseball Aficionado’s Instagram account on Oct. 12.
Lindor, 31, has never played in LBPRC before, but he is interested in playing for his hometown team, the Crillos de Caguas.
Major League Baseball free agent pitcher Marcus Stroman also expressed interest in playing in the LBPRC per The Baseball Aficionado’s Instagram account on Oct. 14.
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Stroman, 34, pitched in MLB with the New York Yankees this season and was released on Aug. 1, 2025. Stroman has also never played in LBPRC and was on the reserve roster for the Indios de Mayaguez.
Lindor and Stroman both suited up for Puerto Rico in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, where they lost in the quarterfinals 5-4 to Mexico at loanDepot Park in Miami. Lindor is already confirmed to be on the team as a captain, and Stroman may be trying to get himself ready to return for the upcoming 2026 WBC as well as get an invitation to MLB spring training.
Puerto Rico’s pitching staff is thin, and they could benefit from having Stroman on the roster. Stroman is also eligible for Team USA, having been born in Medford, N.Y. He pitched for the United States in 2017 and helped them win the WBC, throwing six scoreless innings against Puerto Rico in the championship game.
Stroman has pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, and New York Yankees in his 11-year career, which saw him debut with the Blue Jays in 2014. Stroman opted out of the 2020 season during the COVID-19 Pandemic. He has pitched 1497 1/3 innings, with 1,230 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.79 in MLB.
Lindor was also on Puerto Rico’s roster in the 2017 WBC, and the 2026 WBC will be his third time playing for Puerto Rico. He has established himself as one of the best shortstops in MLB with the Cleveland Indians and New York Mets during his 11-year career, which began in 2015. Lindor is a five-time All-Star, has won four Silver Slugger Awards, two Gold Gloves, and one Platinum Glove.
He reached the World Series in his second season with the Indians in 2016, which they lost in seven games to the Chicago Cubs. He has 279 home runs, 856 RBIs, 216 stolen bases, and a slash line of .273/.342/.475 in 6,086 career at-bats. Lindor hit 31 home runs and stole 31 bases in 2025, the second 30/30 season of his career.
Puerto Rico will host Pool A at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan. Cuba, Canada, Colombia, and Panama will also be in Pool A, with the top two teams advancing to the quarterfinals in Houston at Dunedin Park.
Photo: Francisco Lindor celebrates as he stands on second base after driving in a run with a double off Seattle Mariners pitcher George Kirby during the fifth inning of the Little League Classic baseball game at Bowman Field in Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
