The New York Mets made a pricey, but well-worth it decision by taking on Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco. Lindor, a 4-time all-star shortstop player, had recently increased his salary demands.
The Mets were willing to pay the higher demands to obtain Lindor who is arguably one of the best well-rounded baseball players in modern times. The Cleveland Indians simply didn’t have the cash to cough up for the higher salary.
Part of the new agreement also gives Carrasco a higher income as well. The Mets are confident that this move will be in their best interests as well as the Cleveland Indians.
In exchange for Lindor and Carrasco, the Mets traded Andres Gimenez and Amed Rosario, both infielders, as well as, Josh Wolf and the outfielder Isaiah Greene.
The Cleveland Indians are hoping that these four new players will break the team’s current bad-luck streak in concerns to the World Series Title. At the very least, they will make the team a little more competitive.
However, the trade was an emotional one for the Indians president of baseball operations, Chris Antonetti. He was quoted as saying “…these are people we care about, just not players”.
Lindor and Carrasco were certainly loved by fans of the Cleveland Indians. Antonetti tearfully stated that while this decision wasn’t an easy one, it was a necessary one.
This is especially true since the Cleveland Indians aren’t in any position financially to compete amongst some of the other higher-end baseball teams in the MLB.
The decision to trade Lindor wasn’t strictly financial though as he will be eligible for free agency after the 2021 season.
So, his time with the Indians was on borrowed time anyway. While it was still a painful decision for the team, it made the most sense for them based on his upcoming free agency status.
Even though Lindor will soon have a free agency status after this season, the Mets are confident that they can keep him under their belts. The current owner, Steve Cohen, is hoping that he can convince Lindor to stay long-term.
This isn’t just because the 27-year old player is an absolute star but because the Mets can afford to prepare a more attractive contract package for him.
Lindor’s status as an all-star shortstop can be credited to his athletic ability and his overall development during his time with the Cleveland Indians Throughout his time on the team, he has achieved a .285 hitter, an average of 29 homers, 86 RBI’s and 21 steals.
Additionally, he was awarded with the Gold Glove not once, but twice.
Additionally, Francisco Lindor is ranked 3rd in the ranks of major league baseball. His incredible amount of base hits alone have only occurred since 2017 and will certainly continue to increase since he is a young player.
In the American League, he sits at the top of being the most valuable player. every year from 2016 to 2019.
While Lindor has had a lot of great successes with the Cleveland Indians, his journey will continue to flourish as he moves on to the New York Mets.
Yes, money is certainly a motivator but Lindor’s love for the game is definitely noticeable in his time on the field.
Carrasco is another void that will be left with the Indians. While he isn’t quite the same status as Lindor, Carrasco is still a remarkable player with an 88-73 career record and a 3.73 ERA.
He is found so incredible due to his skill and his battle with leukemia, which he fought to be back on the field. This shining star will be a great addition to the New York Mets.
Carrasco’s stats are also impressive with 18 wins back in 2017, finished in the top 10 for ERA in 2017 and 2018, and within the top 10 for strikeouts in 2015, 2017, and 2018.
Additionally, he’s had 1,035 strikeouts in 242 games. His progress as a player continues to grow for him as well. There’s no doubt that the move to the New York Mets will be a flourishing moment for this baseball star.
It is estimated that the loss to the New York Yankees in the wild-card round is what set forth the trade of Lindor. While this was the game that finally made the Indians act on trading Lindor, the team expresses that it wasn’t a quick and rash decision.
Due to the financial status of the team, they knew the day would finally come where they would need to let go of Lindor. Additionally, they knew he would be snagged up pretty quickly for a competitive price.
The Mets have reportedly given Lindor a salary of $22.3 million. This astonishing figure is larger than previous trades, making it one of the biggest in MLB history.
The previous large-ticket salaries include Mookie Bets at $27 million back in 2016, Nolan Arenado at $26 million in 2019, Josh Donaldson at $23 million back in 2018.
Carrasco is said to be signed at $12 million for the next two upcoming seasons. His current deal also includes a $14 million team option come 2023 with a $3 million buyout, providing that his health continues do better as it has for him.
These figures are remarkable amounts for both players and is a price well deserved.
The Mets are said to be working within an approximate $184 million luxury tax payroll figure, which is significantly lower than the estimated $210 million threshold.
Because of this, they could potentially buy additional players since they have some wiggle room left in the financial figures. Either way, they are in a better position to offer competitive pay over the Cleveland Indians.
Hopefully shaking things up this way will prove prosperous for the Cleveland Indians in the long run.
While they can’t afford to keep on star players like Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco, they definitely had a strong hand in shaping these young men to be the baseball stars they are today.
