[ad_1]
The New York Mets have reached a deal on a long-term extension with shortstop Francisco Lindor worth around $ 340 million, Jon Heyman Reports. Several other reports put the transaction at $ 341 million over ten years. That number makes Lindor’s extension the third-biggest contract in MLB history and the biggest ever for a shortstop.
Lindor, who had set an opening day deadline for a new deal, was previously scheduled to enter free agency this winter. Instead, the Mets appear to have locked the All-Star just hours before time runs out. Lindor’s new contract won’t start until the 2022 season, which means the Mets have secured his services for the next 11 years. Lindor’s salary for 2021 will be $ 22.3 million. According to Joel Sherman, the contract includes deferred money but does not include any withdrawal options. A partial no-trade clause is also part of the agreement.
Lindor, 27, was acquired from Cleveland in January as part of a six-player trade. The Mets also injured starter Carlos Carrasco in that deal, and sent infielders Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez and prospects Josh Wolf and Isaiah Greene.
Lindor has hit .277 / .343 / .502 (122 OPS +) with 78 homers and 53 stolen bases over the past three seasons. Factoring in his above-average shortstop defense, he netted 13.9 wins over substitution, ranking 10th among players in that span, according to Baseball Reference calculations.
Lindor will enter the season after playing four All-Star Games and winning two Gold Glove Awards and two Silver Slugger Awards. He received the Most Valuable Player award in four of his full five seasons.
Following Lindor’s recent dinner with Mets owner Steve Cohen, the team made what would have been a 10-year, $ 325 million offer. However, Lindor has reportedly requested $ 385 million over 12 years. At this point, an impasse seemed to befall the discussions. However, as the self-imposed deadline approached, the two sides moved closer to the middle and struck a deal that will keep Lindor in Queens for years to come. Lindor gets life-changing cash, the Mets get a franchise cornerstone, and Cohen holds on for the bravado he launched early in his tenure as an owner.
This is the second year in a row that a top player has been traded at the start of his running year, to sign extra time before making his regular season debut with his new club. Mookie Betts did the same with the Los Angeles Dodgers last year, just months after being shipped from the Boston Red Sox.
Even with Lindor out of the market, winter could boast an exceptionally strong collection of shortstops. Trevor Story, Carlos Correa, Javier Baez, and Corey Seager are four of those names to watch out for. Our Matt Snyder recently covered the situations of these players in more detail.
Lindor, meanwhile, becomes the fifth player to sign an extension worth at least $ 300 million. The previous four were Betts, Mike Trout, Giancarlo Stanton and Fernando Tatis Jr., who signed his own massive extension earlier this spring.
[ad_2]
Source link