The New York Mets acquired shortstop Francisco Lindor and right-handed pitcher Carlos Carrasco in a successful negotiation with the Cleveland Indians.
In return, Cleveland received shortstops Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez and two players from the second division – right-handed Josh Wolf and outfielder Isaiah Greene.
The brand is the Mets’ first big move since owner Steve Cohen completed buying the franchise last year.
The Indians also saved a significant payroll in 2021 by separating from Lindor (US $ 19.5 million) and Carrasco (US $ 12 million).
Since her MLB debut in 2015, Lindor has been ranked first among all shortstops in WAR (28.4), home runs (138) and extra base shots, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
He also ranks second in RBIs (411) and runs (508), and fifth in OPS (0.835) and slugging (0.485), while hitting 0.285. At 27, Lindor won four All-Star nods, two Gold Gloves and two Silver Sluggers to go with an appearance in the World Series in 2016 and a second place in the LA Rookie of the Year vote in 2015.
Carrasco, 33, was diagnosed with leukemia in 2019 and returned the same season, becoming AL Comeback’s Player of the Year. He was seventh in the AL with an ERA of 2.91 in 12 games last season and was the sixth with 82 eliminations in 68.0 entries
Carrasco is 88-73 with 3.77 ERA and 1,305 eliminations in 242 games during his 11-year career with Cleveland.
Rosario, 25, reached 0.268 with 32 homers and 148 RBIs in 403 games with the Mets from 2017 to ’20.
Gimenez, 22, hit 0.263 with three homers and 12 RBIs in 49 games last year.