At the time, Verdugo was one year removed from being ranked the No. The Jays shouldn’t be considered the favourites in this chase, but if the Mets struggle to come up with enough trade assets, the Yankees decide their resources are better allocated elsewhere and the Angels determine they’ve spent enough already, Toronto could become the unlikely winner. ESPN’s Buster Olney reported Tuesday that the club is targeting free agents George Springer, Trevor Bauer and J.T. Two sources, in fact. To order The dilemma isn’t whether the Jays should take a run at Lindor. The Blue Jays probably won't be able to get LeMahieu to sign with them. "I'm going to step out of the way and let you guys make some deals for us," Atkins said on MLB Network. After a difficult 2019 season during which he overcame leukemia, Carrasco bounced back this year, posting a 2.91 ERA and 10.9 K/9 rate over 12 starts. Former Cleveland Indians front-office executive Ross Atkins–who’s now the GM of the Toronto Blue Jays–played it coy when talking about a potential deal for Francisco Lindor. If Cleveland could be swayed by a package that includes prospects such as Alek Manoah, Orelvis Martinez, Gabriel Moreno, Anthony Kay, Thomas Hatch or Ryan Borucki — and maybe, just maybe, Jordan Groshans — then by all means have at it. But just because the Jays can afford Lindor doesn’t mean they should empty their wallets to make it happen. Cleveland chose the package from the Mets b/c it balanced short- and long-term help. "We think the world of that organization. Sherman points to the Blue Jays, a club hungry to build around its young core and with a front office of team president Mark Shapiro and general manager Ross Atkins that drafted and developed Lindor in Cleveland. He was named to the USA Today All-USA high school baseball team. According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the Indians began informing teams about Lindor’s availability this past week. JOIN THE CONVERSATION . He’s one of the most exciting infielders in the game and the only reason he’ll be traded is money. Nov. 24: Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor is a potential trade target for the Mets this offseason, and New York right-hander Marcus Stroman is among those hoping the team completes a trade for the four-time All-Star. Don't know specific players, but I'm told their offer had what is probably a higher ceiling yet was centered on long-term prospects. Instead, the Toronto Blue Jays have to add another player to sweeten the deal. With rumors continuing to swirl around a Francisco Lindor trade, the Cleveland Indians have been recently linked to the Toronto Blue Jays as a possibility. rights reserved. In an interview Sunday with MLB Network Radio, Alderson stated that the club will likely be inclined to retain the kind of prospects that would be needed to land a superstar like Lindor via trade. I doubt the Blue Jays’ front office (former Tribe executives Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins) would make a significant deal for Lindor without a long-term commitment. Tue., Dec. 15, 2020 timer 9 min. One asked about the offseason fates of Lindor and fellow trade candidate Kris Bryant of the Cubs. Position: Shortstop Bats: Both • Throws: Right 5-11, 190lb (180cm, 86kg) . \n","providerName":"Twitter","providerUrl":"https://twitter.com","type":"rich","width":550,"__typename":"ExternalEmbedContent"},"$ROOT_QUERY.getForgeContentBySlug({\"locale\":\"en-us\",\"slug\":\"francisco-lindor-rumors\",\"type\":\"story\"}).parts.3":{"data":{"type":"id","generated":true,"id":"$ROOT_QUERY.getForgeContentBySlug({\"locale\":\"en-us\",\"slug\":\"francisco-lindor-rumors\",\"type\":\"story\"}).parts.3.data","typename":"ExternalEmbedContent"},"type":"oembed","__typename":"ExternalEmbed"},"$ROOT_QUERY.getForgeContentBySlug({\"locale\":\"en-us\",\"slug\":\"francisco-lindor-rumors\",\"type\":\"story\"}).parts.4":{"content":"The Mets were long a favorite landing spot for Lindor in trade rumors surrounding the shortstop, who is under contract for one more season before hitting free agency. Lindor is projected to earn upwards of $22 million (U.S.) in his final year of arbitration, a figure the Jays could absorb with a payroll that currently sits at $75 million to $80 million, including non-guaranteed contracts and left-hander Robbie Ray’s new one-year deal worth $8 million. Toronto could move Bichette to third base for 2021, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. now at first base, and Bichette could always move back to short if the Jays didn't sign Lindor to a long-term extension after a trade. No thanks, and that’s probably what it would take. Lindor is familiar with the Blue Jays brass (you better believe I am going there). The best all-around player available this off-season won’t be found in free agency, but instead via trade. Nov. 29: The Mets have probably been mentioned more in Lindor trade rumors than any other club, but team president Sandy Alderson's most recent comments suggest New York is focusing more of its attention in the free-agent market. Share 0 Retweet 7 Send via email 0 Boston Red Sox Francisco Lindor … July 16, 2013: SS Francisco Lindor assigned to Akron Aeros from Carolina Mudcats. Francisco Lindor signed a 10 year / $341,000,000 contract with the New York Mets, including a $21,000,000 signing bonus, $341,000,000 guaranteed, and an annual average salary of $34,100,000. It’s a start, For Blue Jays prospect Mack Mueller, home is wherever the diamond is, MLB award finalists Charlie Montoyo and Hyun-Jin Ryu are underdogs — just like the Blue Jays were all year long, Why the Blue Jays are well positioned to make a trade splash, The Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star Mookie Betts is the most recent comparable. Of the four teams Rosenthal mentions, the Mets and Blue Jays look like the best matches for Lindor because their focus in free agency is on other positions right now. “Right now, especially at the upper levels of our system, we don’t have the players. For context, the 2020 payroll hovered around $112 million, including $14 million owed to Troy Tulowitzki. 6:_ The Mets and Blue Jays could be the likeliest trade partners for Lindor, according to a report Wednesday from MLB Network insider Ken Rosenthal for The Athletic (subscription required).\n\nRosenthal compares the Indians' situation to the one the Red Sox faced with Mookie Betts last offseason. In fact, there seems to be a consensus that Cleveland will part with the four-time All-Star going into his final season before free agency. Dec. 8: Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins won't go so far as to say Toronto wants to trade for Lindor -- he'll leave the trade ideas up to the media -- but he gave the star shortstop a glowing review on Tuesday. \"We think the world of that organization. https://t.co/vaJDoyTxHi. Dec. 13: A Lindor trade is overwhelmingly likely to happen, eight executives told MLB Network insider Joel Sherman as part of his latest column for the New York Post. The Jays must maintain flexibility both in terms of prospects to trade and cash to spend on future upgrades. We think the world of Frankie.” @MLB, *Tom Cruise yells into the phone*#Mets | #LGM pic.twitter.com/dEW8OQCGkv, I’m praying on this. The Mets, Blue Jays, Giants and Twins all appear willing to spend, but Rosenthal notes the difficulty of finding a match this year like the Dodgers were for Betts. The uber-talented Lindor might not surpass the $365 million contract that Betts signed with the Dodgers this summer, but he could still ink one worth somewhere between $250 million and $300 million -- a price tag that the Indians likely couldn't agree to without severely restricting the flexibility of the rest of its roster. George Springer, Trevor Bauer and Francisco Lindor are wearing blue now with the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets. Around baseball, the Francisco Lindor trade has all kinds of implications. Olney writes that it's unclear how much headway the Indians' front office has made in striking a trade, but multiple sources tell him that the search for a general manager by the Mets -- one of this winter's most aggressive clubs -- has slowed discussions. Stroman was tagged in a Twitter post Tuesday noting that Lindor had picked up a bunch of merchandise from Stroman’s apparel company. As for the one team that could match up for a Lindor trade? August 15, 2013: Akron Aeros placed SS Francisco Lindor on the 7-day disabled list. Reports have been indicating for months that the cash-strapped Cleveland Indians intend to trade their franchise player this winter. More realistically, talks won’t become serious for another month as teams prefer to get a feel for the free-agent market before diving too deep into trades. read. With Lindor eligible for free agency after 2021 and the club lacking the resources to sign him long-term, the decision likely has already been made to move on. The Indians are determined to get the best possible return for Lindor. What the Jays can’t afford to do is mortgage too much of the future when there are still other areas that need to be addressed. The goal should be trying to take advantage of a depressed market to acquire a star player at a reasonable cost. Adding not just Lindor, but a quality veteran pitcher in Carrasco would have been a game-changer for the Blue Jays. Team: New York Mets (majors) Born: November 14, 1993 in Caguas, Puerto Rico pr Draft: Drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 1st round (8th) of the 2011 MLB June Amateur Draft from Montverde HS (Montverde, FL).. High School: Montverde HS (Montverde, FL) 10 prospects. On a positive note, you’d think this would take the Mets out of the running for another big-time free agent, like George Springer, because it’s hard to imagine New York dishing out hundreds of millions of dollars on a Lindor extension while also making a splash elsewhere. With Francisco Lindor entering the final year of his contract in 2021, he will be the focus of plenty of trade talks this offseason. The Mets and Indians announced a trade that sends Lindor to Queens alongside starter Carlos Carrasco. 23:_ While it’s widely assumed across baseball that Lindor will be traded at some point this offseason, there are a variety of ways that such a deal could be structured. By trimming that additional cost from an area of strength (starting pitching), Cleveland could then perhaps have more room in its budget to spend on bats. ","type":"markdown","__typename":"Markdown"},"$ROOT_QUERY.getForgeContentBySlug({\"locale\":\"en-us\",\"slug\":\"francisco-lindor-rumors\",\"type\":\"story\"}).parts.10":{"content":"**Atkins: Blue Jays 'think the world' of Lindor**\n\n_Dec. There are two scenarios at play here: a team makes an offer without any guarantees that Lindor — 27 next Saturday — will stick around long term, or a club reaches a verbal agreement with Cleveland and is granted permission to work out a long-term contract before the trade is finalized. The Blue Jays could be a strong candidate too, though, if they can't land the big free agents they're targeting -- although they don't have a particular need at shortstop, with Bo Bichette already there. If not, there’s no shame in walking away from the table and going the free-agent route instead. Top prospects Austin Martin, Simeon Woods Richardson and Alejandro Kirk should be, too. Talk about a super infield. Olney states that a Lindor trade \"finally seems inevitable\" with the shortstop just one year away from free agency, the same way that a trade of Mookie Betts seemed inevitable last year before the Red Sox indeed dealt him to the Dodgers.\n\n\"By all accounts from sources around baseball, the Indians are prepared to listen, aggressively,\" writes Olney. Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. That sort of across-the-board agreement is notable, and an indication that Cleveland is motivated to move Lindor’s 2021 salary (expected to be in the $20 million range via arbitration) and receive some valuable pieces in return before he hits free agency. The Blue Jays could definitely make a Lindor trade work, even though they already have Bo Bichette at shortstop. The connection here is pretty obvious as Lindor is a player who was drafted and developed back when Mark Shapiro was in Cleveland. Toronto has the prospect capital to make a deal happen and should have the money, too. The Blue Jays have financial flexibility moving forward, which would allow them to add Lindor’s lofty salary for 2021 and explore a long-term extension. According to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet, the Blue Jays are said to “really want” Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor, who is on the trade block. Blue Jays catchers drawing interest. So … ** \n\n_Dec. Another potential wrinkle? Exploring a potential Francisco Lindor trade between the Indians and Blue Jays. 35 overall prospect by MLB Pipeline. permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com. Jan. 6: The Mets and Blue Jays could be the likeliest trade partners for Lindor, according to a report Wednesday from MLB Network insider Ken Rosenthal for The Athletic (subscription required). Blue Jays mailbag: Why chase Francisco Lindor when you have Bo Bichette? Most prospects don't pan out. 22:_ Lindor has been the most-discussed trade candidate this offseason, with plenty of indications that a deal will come to fruition. Plus, most teams are looking to drive down payroll for next season after claiming huge 2020 losses. MLB.com’s Cleveland beat writer Mandy Bell touched on that blockbuster possibility in an Inbox column published Tuesday, noting that it “wouldn’t be surprising” if the club paired Lindor with Carrasco, who is set to earn $12 million in both of the next two seasons and has a $14 million team option for 2023. This will have to be a pursuit with limits, and if it leads to a second-place finish so be it. “There are only two currencies in baseball: players and money,” Alderson said. It’s not even the NHL where a hot goalie can steal a round of the playoffs. \"Cleveland needs to recoup value for Lindor before he walks away, just as it did with CC Sabathia (swapped for Michael Brantley), Cliff Lee (Carlos Carrasco), and Trevor Bauer (Franmil Reyes).\"\n\nThe uber-talented Lindor might not surpass the $365 million contract that Betts signed with the Dodgers this summer, but he could still ink one worth somewhere between $250 million and $300 million -- a price tag that the Indians likely couldn't agree to without severely restricting the flexibility of the rest of its roster. The club could pick up some of Lindor’s 2021 salary in order to maximize its return, or prioritize reducing its payroll.\n\nAnother potential wrinkle? With new owner Steve Cohen at the helm, the Mets are expected to be one of the most aggressive teams this offseason. This isn’t the NBA where the Raptors can acquire Kawhi Leonard and ride him all the way to a championship. 9 and No. By Gregor Chisholm Baseball Columnist. Don't know specific players, but I'm told their offer had what is probably a higher ceiling yet was centered on long-term prospects. Interpret those comments how you will. Otherwise, what’s the point? In 2021, Lindor will earn a base salary of $22,300,000 and a signing bonus of $21,000,000, while carrying a total salary of $22,300,000. Trading for Lindor would make third base better because the Blue Jays could move Bichette to third base. Thus, it is hard to add that $20 million-ish salary and give up low-cost youngsters.". But it won't be easy for the Indians to pull off, and it especially won't be easy for president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti to get the kind of return commensurate with such a star talent as Lindor. Toronto could move Bichette to third base for 2021, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. now at first base, and Bichette could always move back to short if the Jays didn't sign Lindor to … By trimming that additional cost from an area of strength (starting pitching), Cleveland could then perhaps have more room in its budget to spend on bats.\n\nMeanwhile, adding Carrasco to Lindor would increase the financial responsibility of the acquiring team but also allow it to address two needs at once. The Jays aren’t far enough along in their development to justify a similar risk, but they’re getting there. We think the world of that organization. — Anthony Castrovince (@castrovince) January 8, 2021 The question is, until what price point? There’s been talk about the Blue Jays going after Lindor for quite some time. We don’t want to give up our young guys.”. 7: The blockbuster Lindor trade that many assumed would happen this offseason has indeed come through. 8:_ Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins won't go so far as to say Toronto wants to trade for Lindor -- he'll leave the trade ideas up to the media -- but he gave the star shortstop a glowing review on Tuesday.\n\n\"I'm going to step out of the way and let you guys make some deals for us,\" Atkins said on MLB Network. As the Cleveland Indians grapple with the future of shortstop Francisco Lindor, one option is reportedly a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays. Welcome to New York! Blue Jays & Daring to Dream on Francisco Lindor Shaun Doyle October 21, 2020 The Toronto Blue Jays could use an impact addition and Francisco Lindor fits the bill, but is it too crazy to get excited about? FWIW, the Blue Jays were the runner-up for Francisco Lindor. Obviously, they should. By Zack Meisel and Kaitlyn McGrath Dec 10, 2020 107 . While it could be argued that Francisco Lindor for Lourdes Gurriel might be close to fair straight up, it’s hard to imagine that the Cleveland Indians would agree to that. 93 prospect ), RHP Tony Santillan ( Reds’ No. Plus, most teams are looking to drive down payroll for next season after claiming huge 2020 losses. Cleveland could look for younger, high-ceiling prospects in return, or focus on players who are ready to contribute in the Majors now. One asked about the offseason fates of Lindor and fellow trade candidate Kris Bryant of the Cubs. That’s not a criticism of the last couple years, it’s just that over time [we need] to allow these players to develop. Atkins: Blue Jays 'think the world' of Lindor. Thus, it is hard to add that $20 million-ish salary and give up low-cost youngsters.\"\n\nSherman notes that none of those eight executives he spoke with think the Indians would match the return that the Red Sox got for Mookie Betts last winter (Alex Verdugo and Minor Leaguers Jeter Downs and Connor Wong), though Sherman ponders if Cleveland could attach a high-priced starter in Carlos Carrasco (two years, $24 million remaining on his contract) the same way Boston was able to attach David Price to Betts.\n\nAs for the one team that could match up for a Lindor trade? Francisco Lindor. Rosenthal compares the Indians' situation to the one the Red Sox faced with Mookie Betts last offseason. If the Blue Jays and Indians strike a deal for Francisco Lindor, Cleveland knows exactly who they want back in return.. Including another star player in the deal, such as right-hander Carlos Carrasco. Former general manager Brodie Van Wagenen notably dealt outfielder Jarred Kelenic, now the sport’s ninth-ranked prospect per MLB Pipeline, and right-hander Justin Dunn to the Mariners after the 2018 season in exchange for veteran second baseman Robinson Canó, who was suspended for the entire ’21 season after testing positive for a banned substance. Meanwhile, adding Carrasco to Lindor would increase the financial responsibility of the acquiring team but also allow it to address two needs at once. We have some money, at this point. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette and Nate Pearson would still be off limits. to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about The Toronto Blue Jays reportedly "really want" Francisco Lindor in a trade, but are reluctant unless they can sign him long-term. The Mets were long a favorite landing spot for Lindor in trade rumors surrounding the shortstop, who is under contract for one more season before hitting free agency. These two teams could be trade partners for Lindor. Republication or distribution of this content is "Lindor is entering his walk season, so that is the only control an acquiring team would receive," writes Sherman, "and what do you give in return when you have no idea yet if the season will be 162 games or 155 or 145 …? expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto The first option will be expensive, the second will cost even more. “Lindor supporting his future teammate @STR0?” the post asked, along with a screen grab of Lindor’s Instagram story in which he showed off his new duds. The club could pick up some of Lindor’s 2021 salary in order to maximize its return, or prioritize reducing its payroll. Second base, shortstop, and third base are thin in free agency, which is why it makes sense to trade for Lindor. Lindor was also selected eighth overall by a front office prominently featuring Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins back in 2011. Below is a list of the latest news and rumors surrounding the Indians shortstop. Dec. 23: While it’s widely assumed across baseball that Lindor will be traded at some point this offseason, there are a variety of ways that such a deal could be structured. To order copies of This is shaping up to be the winter of Francisco Lindor and the Blue Jays are almost guaranteed to be in on the four-time all-star. In return, Cleveland gets shortstops Andrés Giménez and Amed Rosario alongside Minor Leaguers Josh Wolf and Isaiah Greene, New York's No. This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. That’s up for debate. #LGMhttps://t.co/Bc0fICHUKn. "By all accounts from sources around baseball, the Indians are prepared to listen, aggressively," writes Olney. ","type":"markdown","__typename":"Markdown"},"$ROOT_QUERY.getForgeContentBySlug({\"locale\":\"en-us\",\"slug\":\"francisco-lindor-rumors\",\"type\":\"story\"}).parts.5":{"content":"**These two teams could be trade partners for Lindor**\n\n_Jan. He’s coming off a down season, but he is a franchise-altering player who has two Gold Gloves, a pair of Silver Sluggers and three top-10 finishes in MVP voting on his resumé. Olney states that a Lindor trade "finally seems inevitable" with the shortstop just one year away from free agency, the same way that a trade of Mookie Betts seemed inevitable last year before the Red Sox indeed dealt him to the Dodgers. The Jays would have to think long and hard before moving someone like Cavan Biggio, but depending on the package he’s not someone who should be immediately ruled out. The Toronto Blue Jays continue to make noise about possibly making major moves during the MLB offseason. Dec. 9: After years of "will they or won't they" in regard to trading Lindor, this is the winter that Cleveland will finally deal away its superstar, Buster Olney predicts in a column for ESPN+ (subscription required). The time, Verdugo was one year of Lindor ’ s not even the NHL a... Who they want back in 2011 with negotiations expected to be FA suitors, not partners. The first round ( eighth overall by a front office prominently featuring Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins a! Candidate Kris Bryant of the Cubs focus on players who are ready to in! Am going there ) players as the Cleveland Indians intend to trade their franchise player this winter come with! Getting there addition to Lindor, Bichette, Vlad Jr. and Cavan?. Traded is money partners for Lindor would make third base better because the Blue Jays 'think world..., Trevor Bauer and J.T Bichette at shortstop right-hander Carlos Carrasco Right 5-11, 190lb ( 180cm, )... 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