Francisco Lindor is one of the game's elite talents, one that appears likely to be traded in the near future. Still, it's rather difficult to pinpoint a market for the four-time All-Star.
After they seemingly tested the waters last winter, RADIO.COM MLB Insider Bob Nightengale reported Thursday that "several rival teams have been informed" that the Cleveland Indians plan to trade Lindor before the start of the 2021 season. Lindor can become a free agent after the 2021 season, and Nightengale refers to the Cleveland organization as being "strapped for money."
Last offseason, Jon Paul Morosi of MLB.com reported that the Los Angeles Dodgers were interested in Lindor. However, since that report, the Dodgers have acquired Mookie Betts and signed him to a 12-year/$365 million extension. What's more, while Betts was a key cog in the team's World Series run, so was shortstop Corey Seager, who hit eight postseason home runs and was ultimately named the World Series MVP.
A year ago, the Dodgers may have seemed like the most likely landing spot for Lindor. Now, it's just not a trade that would make sense for Andrew Friedman and company.
With that in mind, here are four teams that could potentially trade for the superstar shortstop in a winter full of uncertainty:
New York Mets
Francisco Lindor appears to have played his last game for the Indians.(Jason Miller/Getty Images)There is a belief that the Mets could be active at the top of the free-agent market, pursuing either catcher J.T. Realmuto or outfielder George Springer. Still, making a trade for Lindor would qualify as an even bigger splash for soon-to-be Mets' owner Steve Cohen.
Both Amed Rosario and Andrés Giménez are talented young infielders that can play shortstop, which could make them interesting players for the Indians to target as part of a return package. The Mets' top overall prospect, Ronny Mauricio, is also a shortstop, but he's only 19 so he's a few years away from the majors. Catcher Francisco Alvarez, third baseman Brett Baty and righty Matthew Allan could also be of interest among pieces in the Mets' farm system.
Even if it didn't ultimately prove to be in 2020, the National League East, on paper, should be one of the most talented divisions in the sport. It's the rare division where all five teams are trying to win right now. The Mets should get Noah Syndergaard back from Tommy John surgery at some point in 2021, and if they coupled that with acquiring Lindor and signing a catcher like James McCann, the Mets could become a scary team.
Atlanta Braves
Francisco Lindor is a four-time All-Star.(Jay Biggerstaff/USA Today)The Braves have their position-playing core of Freddie Freeman, Ronald Acuña Jr. and Ozzie Albies. It's possible that around that trio, they'd like to mix a notable veteran or two looking to rebuild his value with pieces they've developed internally. Over the past two seasons, that strategy has worked out swimmingly.
Still, the Braves finished a victory away from reaching the World Series in 2020, and may feel they need another big piece to push them over the top. The World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers aren't going anywhere, nor are the San Diego Padres, among National League contenders.
Just given how they've operated in the past, we wouldn't bet on the Braves ponying up $200+ million to retain Lindor after the 2020 season. That said, the Braves have some pieces already at the major league level that they could potentially move in shortstop Dansby Swanson and/or righty Kyle Wright. There would have to be more in a deal, which may prohibit the Braves from jumping into the deep end for a player that would likely be a rental. Then again, if Lindor helped the Braves win a World Series in 2021, there wouldn't be too many people concerned about what the team gave up, even for a rental.
Toronto Blue Jays
Francisco Lindor has spent his entire career with the Indians.(David Richard/USA Today)The Blue Jays snuck into the postseason in 2020, but with uncertainty about how many teams will make the playoffs moving forward, they'll need to finish the 2021 season with a better winning percentage than the .533 mark that they posted this season. And that's going to be difficult considering they play in the same division as the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees.
Toronto has an exciting young lineup, but it feels like they are a star piece away from being a World Series-caliber lineup. Certainly, Lindor could fit that bill. Landing Lindor would require that Bo Bichette move to third or second base - at least for a season - but that seems like it would be a fairly easy transition to make.
The Blue Jays have three prospects ranked in MLB Pipeline's top 100 in the sport, righty Nate Pearson, shortstop/outfielder Austin Martin and shortstop Jordan Groshans. Pearson isn't going to be moved, but with a system that MLB Pipeline ranks as the seventh best in the sport, the Blue Jays probably have the prospect capital to get a deal for Lindor done, especially if they believe he would be more than a one-year rental.
New York Yankees
Francisco Lindor has spent his entire career in Cleveland.(Raj Mehta/USA Today)Will Lindor don pinstripes in 2021? It's certainly not the most likely scenario, but we wouldn't entirely rule out the possibility either.
Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors has predicted that the Yankees will lose second baseman DJ LeMahieu to the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays. If that happened, the Yankees could move Gleyber Torres - who had -9 defensive runs saved at shortstop in 2020 - back to second base. That would leave them in search of a shortstop, and it's possible they pursue a stopgap option, like Andrelton Simmons. After a disappointing postseason exit, though, losing LeMahieu and replacing him with Simmons wouldn't exactly qualify as an inspiring offseason.
The most likely scenario this offseason is that the Yankees re-sign LeMahieu, which would probably squash any pursuit of Lindor, at least for now. But if a reunion can't be reached, Deivi Garcia and Oswald Perez could be of interest to the Indians, should the Yankees get aggressive in a pivot to Lindor.
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