He can turn the world on with his smile. But there is so much more to Francisco Lindor than his signature expression.
Behind the Smile: Francisco Lindor chronicles Lindor’s life, from his humble beginnings in Puerto Rico to his rise as the face of the Mets and all the ups and downs along the way. The newest MLB Network Presents documentary premieres Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on MLB Network. It will re-air on Monday at 8 p.m.
Featuring interviews with Lindor, his family, and baseball luminaries such as Mets Hall of Famer David Wright, his former manager Terry Francona and many others, Behind the Smile: Francisco Lindor gives you an inside look at how the switch-hitting shortstop became one of the game’s best players.
“Baseball has always been kind of my coping mechanism,” Lindor says at the beginning of the documentary. “When things were bad, I would go to the baseball field. When things were bad, I would swing a bat, because that was the thing that I love to do the most growing up.”
After emerging with Cleveland, Lindor was traded to the Mets in 2021 and signed a 10-year, $341 million contract just before Opening Day. But his first few seasons in New York had plenty of on-field struggles. He and others speak openly about those trying times with his new club.
“It was tough,” Lindor says in the documentary. “I was really having a difficult time.”
But ultimately, the five-time All-Star would find his footing with the Mets and become a team leader and a fan favorite.
“There were a lot of lessons that I learned that helped me continue to grow and become more mature,” he says.
The program also provides a look at Lindor away from the baseball field. Lindor’s wife, Katia, and his sister, Legna, explain how much of an impact Lindor makes on people’s lives away from the diamond and how he’s able to make such a positive impact on his family and the community.
Produced by MLB Network’s Emmy Award-winning production team, Behind The Smile: Francisco Lindor is the fourth MLB Network Presents documentary to feature an active player, following prior documentaries on Freddie Freeman this past July, Fernando Tatis Jr. in 2021 and Mike Trout in 2017.
