Francisco Lindor’s Puerto Rico-inspired cleats are clean and striking

The Indians and Twins are playing a two-game series on the island

The Indians and Twins are kicking off their two-game stint in Puerto Rico, and Francisco Lindor is one of multiple Puerto Rican players from the two teams returning home during this series. For his return to San Juan, Lindor is sporting custom-designed New Balance Puerto Rico-inspired cleats.

The shoes are clean but still striking. While most custom-designed shoes go over the top design-wise, with spray paint elements or a full flag painted on, Lindor opted for something far more clean and simple to honor the place where he grew up and learned to love baseball.

Because of what “custom shoes” usually all to mind the simplicity here actually stands out more. They’re sure to get extremely dirty on the field but beforehand the white is sharp as hell.

The red, white, and blue are Puerto Rico’s colors and the shoes also incorporate Lindor’s number — 12, in neon on the back — that doubles as his “FL” initials.

It works far better that they are under-designed rather than overflowing with various elements. They manage to honor Puerto Rico while also looking like something anyone could pull off if they so choose. Aspirational, but still stylish and cool.