For nearly five months, Francisco Lindor’s at-bats have turned into a Citi Field singalong.
Mets fans belt the lyrics to Lindor’s walk-up song, The Temptations’ “My Girl,” before each of the shortstop’s plate appearances, often continuing to croon the words even after the music stops playing.
And before Friday night’s NLCS Game 5 against the Dodgers, a sold-out crowd didn’t have to sing along with a recording.
That’s because the present-day iteration of the Temptations performed the ever-lasting mega-hit a few moments before first pitch, much to the delight of everyone in attendance — including Lindor.
“For us, that’s a first,” Otis Williams, the Temptations’ founder and the last surviving original member, told the Daily News shortly before taking the field. “A baseball player loved the song, so the whole stadium is singing it as he’s coming out.”
Williams, 82, and his four groupmates performed the national anthem before Friday’s game, then slipped into Mets jerseys and sang “My Girl” in its entirety.
Lindor sang along as he warmed up in right field, flashing a wide grin befitting of his nickname, “Mr. Smile.”
“I love that they’re here,” Lindor told The News before the game. “I can’t wait to hear them.”
Lindor started using the feel-good love song as his walk-up music on May 28, not long after the Mets moved him into the leadoff spot.
The Mets were 22-31 on May 28, then went 67-42 for the rest of the season. Lindor batted .210 with seven home runs before May 28, then hit .306 with 26 home runs the rest of the way.
“It’s an honor for him to pick that song as his theme song,” said Ron Tyson, who joined the Temptations in 1983. “We’re happy that we’re able to be here, and being able to sing it for him in person and meet him and hopefully make a friend.”
The Temptations released “My Girl” in December 1964, and it became a No. 1 hit three months later.
Co-written by Smokey Robinson, the ubiquitous hit was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1988 and into the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry two decades later.
“Motown is no happenstance,” Williams said. “Motown came along at the very critical time when we were going crazy during the ’60s, and it was there for a reason. It spawned so many great artists and what have you, that to be part of something that has been such a great influence … has a very special value and meaning.”
“My Girl” became part of the 2024 Mets’ lore, much in the way infielder Jose Iglesias’ Latin pop single “OMG” became the team’s celebratory anthem and how the McDonalds mascot Grimace became an unlikely good-luck charm when his ceremonial first pitch on June 12 coincided with a winning streak.
The Temptations are currently on tour and traveled to Queens for Game 5 in between concerts in South Carolina.
Fittingly, Lindor led off the bottom of the first inning Friday with a single — after taking a little extra time settling into the box as fans sang along.
“When you’ve got a whole group of people that are singing the same song and feeling the words of the song, now you’ve got a huge, powerful situation,” said Anthony Grant, the Temptations’ lead vocalist since 2021.
“We like to catch on to people’s happiness, people’s joy, and now you’ve got this whole stadium singing. It just resonates.”
