#Francisco Lindor feeling ‘great’ with Mets return nearing

Francisco Lindor believes he’s close to returning. Luis Rojas echoed his superstar shortstop, saying he could be back “sooner than later.”

In fact, the Mets manager didn’t shoot down the idea that Lindor could be active when the team returns from its daunting seven-game West Coast trip.

“There is a possibility,” Rojas said before the Mets looked to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Dodgers at Citi Field on Sunday.

Out since July 16 due to a right oblique strain, Lindor continued to ramp up in his rehab Sunday, swinging from the right side in batting practice, running the bases and taking fielding drills. He said he feels good enough to play, but declined to put a timetable on his return, leaving it up to the team’s medical experts.

“Right now I feel great,” said Lindor, who will travel out west with the team. “I want to be with the team as much as possible, but at the end of the day the trainers know best.”

For now, Rojas and Lindor played coy as to whether he can forgo a minor league rehabilitation assignment, or have a limited one, before returning to the Mets. At the moment, the next step is Lindor facing live pitching and testing the oblique against higher velocity.

Lindor was in full uniform, but that had nothing to do with where he’s at in his rehab.

“I had nothing better to do,” he joked.