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The Mets’ spring of anguish with Francisco Lindor is over.
After weeks of negotiations and a stalemate in recent days, the team and the All-Star shortstop agreed late Wednesday night to a 10-year contract extension worth $ 341 million, according to a report. source of the sector. The deal was reached just ahead of Lindor’s deadline for negotiations.
The contract is the largest in franchise history, voiding the eight-year deal worth $ 138 million David Wright received prior to the 2013 season.
Including this year’s salary, in his final season of officiating eligibility, Lindor will receive $ 362.3 million over 11 years, but carry-overs will likely reduce the current value. The $ 341 million is $ 1 million more than what Fernando Tatis Jr. received this offseason in his 14-year contract with the Padres. Lindor’s deal includes a $ 21 million signing bonus and a partial no-trade clause.
The Mets previously offered Lindor a 10-year contract worth $ 325 million. Lindor responded with a 12-year proposal worth $ 385 million, according to a source, which would have overshadowed the deal Mookie Betts received from the Dodgers last summer.
The Mets face the Nationals Thursday night to start the regular season. Lindor had indicated he would head to free agency if a deal wasn’t in place before the opener.
“We love Francisco and would love to be his teammate for a long time,” Brandon Nimmo said this week. “But he can make those decisions, so we want what’s best for him and the club.”
Lindor, 27, had dinner with Cohen last weekend in spring training, which sparked optimism that a deal could be struck. The Mets had initially been in the neighborhood of $ 300 million with their bid, but upped it.
If Lindor had turned down an extension, he would have ventured into a busy shortstop market next winter. Other shortstops that can become free agents are Corey Seager, Trevor Story, Carlos Correa and Javier Baez.
On Tuesday, Pete Alonso suggested Lindor was worth $ 400 million. Mike Trout, who signed a new contract with the Angels ahead of the 2019 season, is the only MLB player in this stratosphere. Trout was awarded a 12-year contract worth $ 426.5 million.
“We have [Lindor] now, but if he chooses to turn to free will and thinks it’s the best business decision for him, then more power for him, ”Alonso said. “I would be happy if we had him, but also I would be happy if he exercised his right to be a free agent after this year. Whatever he thinks is his best business decision, I support him 100%. “
With the Mets focusing on Lindor, extension talks with Michael Conforto have collapsed, with the two sides in different areas regarding the value of the contract, according to a source. Although Conforto in spring training shied away from the idea of opening day as a difficult deadline to negotiate, the likelihood of him testing free agency is high. Conforto is represented by Scott Boras, who generally pushes his customers to the open market.
Lindor arrived over the winter as part of a deal with the Indians that also gave up pitcher Carlos Carrasco, who is set to open the season on the injured list with a tear in his right tendon. Had Lindor avoided overtime, he would have bet on himself to stay healthy this season and improve a below-par 2020 season offensively, by his standards. Last year Lindor downed .258 / .335 / .415 with eight homers and 27 RBIs in 60 games.
“If we had him I would love to be his teammate for a long time and that would be a blessing,” Alonso said this week.
– Additional reporting by Joel Sherman
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