The New York Mets acquired shortstop superstar Francisco Lindor in a six-player Cleveland deal, the teams announced Thursday. Lindor, a 27-year-old four-time All-Star, has long been the target of commercial rumors and is expected to reach the free agency after the 2021 season. The trade also sends veteran right-hander Carlos Carrasco to the Mets.
Cleveland will have top league players Andres Gimenez and Amed Rosario, as well as two prospects in the business. Here are the complete business details:
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SS Francisco Lindor |
INF Andres Gimenez |
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RHP Carlos Carrasco |
SS Amed Rosario |
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RHP Josh Wolf |
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DE Isaiah Greene |
Lindor is expected to win $ 20 million this winter in his final year of refereeing, and Cleveland is looking forward to transferring him with the goal of cutting the payroll for next season. Cleveland would rather receive a package in return than allow him to walk to a draft crop next winter. Meanwhile, the Mets will try to arrest Lindor for a long-term extension.
In 2020, Lindor took a small step backwards offensively during the 60-game slate, reaching 0.258 / 0.355 / 0.415 with a worse OPS of his .750 career. But the long-term numbers of the four-time All-Star winner and twice the Gold Glove Award combined with his premium defense are extremely impressive. Carrasco, who turns 34 in March, owes $ 27 million over the next two seasons, including a $ 3 million purchase for the 2023 season. , 91 with a WHIP of 1.21 and 10.85 K / 9 in 68 innings (12 games).
On the return from Cleveland, the club will host Rosario and Gimenez as the main attractions of the package, with Wolf and Greene as possible players in the minor leagues. The Mets expected a runaway season for Rosario, 25, but he hit career losses on the board, cutting 0.252 / 0.272 / 0.371 with 34 eliminations in 46 games. Gimenez, 22, played 49 games in 2020 (.263 / .333 / .398) despite never having played above Double-A before last season. He can handle any of the midfield positions.
Greene, 19, was chosen by Mets in the second round of the MLB Draft 2020, while Wolf, 20, was chosen by Mets in the second round of the MLB 2019 Draft. Wolf and Greene were ranked on the Mets’ top 10 prospect list. It is surprising that the Mets managed to hold on to Brandon Nimmo, Dominic Smith and JD Davis, considering that Cleveland is desperately in need of more depth of field.
So what is the impact of the Lindor business fantasy? CBS Sports experts explained in the last episode of Fantasy Baseball Today. Listen below:
Here are three things you should know about the trade and the consequences.
1. Mets are busy, is there more to come?
New Mets owner Steve Cohen is having a busy season. They brought back titleholder Marcus Stroman, signed the appeaser Trevor May for a two-year contract, signed a four-year contract with catcher James McCann and now added one of the game’s elite shortstops to their list.
In addition to all the recent moves, Mets second baseman Robinson Cano was suspended for the 2021 MLB season after his second positive PED test. As a result, Cano was forced to lose his $ 24 million salary, which gave the club an unexpected and additional $ 20.25 million for the 2021 season.
All this to say, did the Mets end this offseason? Or are there still more big moves to come? After all, New York was connected to top free-field player George Springer this winter. Springer would be the last addition to close a strong offensive field, playing alongside Michael Comfort and Brandon Nimmo. Outside of Springer, there is still the possibility that Mets will close the deal with other important free agents, such as incumbent Trevor Bauer. Bauer, the winner of the 2020 NL Cy Young, can help fill his rotation for the 2021 season. There is also the priority of closing Comfort with the extension of the contract, sooner or later. Conforto, which turns 28 in March, is one year from free agency. Only time will tell, but I wouldn’t close the door completely yet because of more checks being made by Cohen.
The Mets, under Cohen’s command, hope to return to the competition next season after a disappointing 2020, in which they failed to win a spot in the expanded postseason. The Mets had 26-34 and drew last in the NL East in the 60-game season. So far this winter, Cohen has fulfilled his commitment to an aggressive opening statement during his first off season as an MLB owner.
With their choppy winter, the Mets only increased the pressure on themselves for the coming year. With team president Sandy Alderson and new general manager Jared Porter as the new team leaders in New York, they are tasked with fulfilling Cohen’s desire to win a World Series in the next three to five years. In 2021, the Mets will aim to reach the postseason for the first time since 2016. New York has had just one winning season in the last four years, a disappointing race given a core that included Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Conforto and Pete Alonso, among others.
2. This is a major setback for Cleveland
Cleveland may have officially lost the chance to win a championship in the near future. Before the club exchanged Lindor and Carrasco, it had already lost Carlos Santana and Mike Clevinger in 2020 – all club members who competed in the 2016 World Series.
Once Cleveland owner Paul Dolan has proven his unwillingness to invest in payroll at levels suitable for a candidate, it will take major rework to get back to playoff status. Losing Lindor is a major setback for the club, especially in the competitive American League Central, where clubs like the Chicago White Sox and, hey, even the Kansas City Royals are making moves this winter to improve.
Cleveland lost lost the 2016 World Series in Game 7, exploded a 2-0 lead in the ALDS 2017 series, was swept in the ALDS 2018, missed the postseason entirely in 2019 and was swept in the 2020 AL Wild Card series. The franchise has not won the World Series since 1948. The new era for Cleveland will also be celebrated soon with a name change soon.
3. Executioner provides the required rotation depth
The New York Mets needed more depth of rotation this winter and, although Carlos Carrasco is not a big name holder at his peak, he will certainly help with the club’s rotation. After Jacob deGrom and Marcus Stroman, the drop is significant. The Mets will be without Noah Syndergaard at least until the end of the first half of next season, after he was operated on by Tommy John in March. There is Seth Lugo, who is coming out of a 6.15 ERA 2020 season; David Peterson, whose debut season in 2020 was promising; and Steven Matz, who avoided arbitration with a one-year deal after a difficult 2020 campaign. Carrasco could occupy the club’s number 3 or 4 position and be able to provide reliable inputs. Ideally, the Mets would do better with another addition of the initial pitcher, and there are still many available on the market.