Lindor, wife join in Puerto Rico beach cleanup

AGUADILLA, Puerto Rico -- Every year from February to October, Francisco Lindor receives major support from his wife, Katia, while he performs his passion. Now that it’s the offseason, the Mets star finally has a chance to return the favor.

One of those opportunities came on Sunday morning, when Katia partnered with Players for the Planet and Puerto Rico-based Rescate Playas Borinque, a community initiative dedicated to the restoration and protection of natural resources and open-air recreation areas on the island, for a cleanup event of Wilderness Beach. It’s a place that holds a special meaning for Katia, who grew up about 15 minutes away in Aguadilla.

“For me, this is an important moment,” Lindor said. “Katia has always enjoyed doing this kind of work since she was a kid. She supports me all year, so now I’m here for her as well as Puerto Rico.”

Over 100 volunteers showed up for the event, including around 50 participants from the Carlos Beltrán Baseball Academy. Together, they collected trash around the beach and planted approximately 200 trees that will help preserve the coastline from erosion and help achieve biodiversity.

Players for the Planet, which was cofounded in 2008 by former big leaguers Chris Dickerson and Jack Cassel, aims to support environmental responsibility and sustainability by launching initiatives across the nation. The organization has worked with MLB on several events in recent years. Earlier this month, Braves players Travis d’Arnaud and Matt Olson joined Players for the Planet to plant 100 fruit trees in Atlanta.

“Particularly on island nations, I think we got a lot more attention after we started doing a lot of work with Nelson [Cruz] and Robinson [Canó] and Sandy [Alcantara] in the Dominican Republic,” said Dickerson, who was on hand for the event. “One of the world’s prominent issues is plastic pollution. Seeing what’s happening in the Dominican kind of gave us the next level of platform by taking superstars in baseball-rich environments where it’s the pinnacle of sports. … Having the opportunity to come here, it’s no different.”

Puerto Rico’s pollution issue intensified in the wake of Hurricane Maria in 2017, with increased amounts of trash and waste ending up in landfills. To help amplify the effort to bring awareness, Lindor was joined by fellow countrymen Javier Baéz and José Berríos, who on Saturday night hosted a charity softball game and home run derby that featured all three players about two hours away in Carolina.

“I started the organization believing in strength in numbers and getting athletes from all sports,” Dickerson said. “When you get guys like Francisco, José and Javier, the superstar names, those are who the kids look up to and listen to. There was a recent study that athletes are probably the most influential people on that planet right now. So having them come out and just understand what we’re doing and why it’s important to show up speaks volumes.

“When you have that platform and awareness, more people are likely to get interested and do their part. Even if it’s just coming out to say hi but [understanding] what we’re trying to do, that’s really all you can ask for. … The biggest thing is education and to understand how we can make a difference. You don’t have to be a professional athlete. If everybody is taking an individual responsibility, we’d all be in a much better situation.”

Between the environmental cause being a passion for his wife and taking place on his home island, Lindor takes pride in using his platform as a superstar to advocate.

“I always have in my mind that while it is good to have, it’s better to give,” Lindor said. “My wife has been working on this along with Players for the Planet and Rescate Playas Borinque. … We’re planting something that will give life. One small grain today, and we hope that in the coming years, they will grow much bigger.”