It's hard to concoct a more perfect baseball union in 2021 than Francisco Lindor and Steve Cohen's New York Mets.
The team needs a long-term solution at shortstop, someone who plays high-end defense.
Check.
The Mets need more lineup balance.
Done. Lindor's a switch-hitter who hits with power on both sides of the plate.
The Mets could use a star fit for the biggest market.
Lindor's smile -- hell, his nickname is Mr. Smile -- and personality are perfect for New York. He's eligible for free agency next fall, but longtime agents have been saying that the greatest leverage any player could have in this era is actually in the winter before reaching the open market, and that might especially be true in Lindor's case because of the historically great class of free-agent shortstops next fall. It might be better for Lindor to make his best deal now, as Mookie Betts did with the Dodgers last summer, rather than competing for dollars with Corey Seager, Javier Baez, Trevor Story and Carlos Correa.
The Lindor trade sets off dominoes in lots of directions:
1. The NL East, particularly the Phillies
The emergence of Cohen's Mets is going to put pressure on the other teams in the division, naturally, but the Braves are a deeper team and have won the division repeatedly in recent years, and the Nationals have 2019 championship rings. The most direct impact is on the Phillies, who have struggled to contend in recent years despite major expenditures -- the signing of Bryce Harper, the trade for J.T. Realmuto. The Mets' machinations will ratchet up the pressure on the Phillies to sign the All-Star catcher to a long-term deal.
2. The Cleveland baseball team
This deal will raise a new round of questions about the viability of baseball in Cleveland. In 2018, the club payroll was $134 million, and it's possible it will fall to the $50 million range in the upcoming season. Cleveland has a really good rotation around Shane Bieber, it has a lot of nice young players, and Terry Francona is among the most respected managers in the game. But for frustrated fans of the franchise -- some of whom are already angry about the team's planned name change -- this will fester. Over and over, Cleveland has traded some of its biggest stars, from CC Sabathia to Cliff Lee to Trevor Bauer and now Lindor (and, it should be noted, have consistently competed).
3. The enormous group of unsigned free agents
They have just seen another example of how little money there is available in this winter's market. Last week, the perception in the industry was the Cubs all but gave away Yu Darvish to the Padres to rid themselves of debt, and the initial reaction to the Lindor trade among some players was: That's all the Indians got for him? The fact that pricey veterans are not fetching a lot of trade return is an ugly sign for veteran players looking for good money this winter. Look, George Springer, Bauer and DJ LeMahieu will get good deals in the weeks ahead, as the best available players. But the journeymen are going to continue to get hammered.
4. Jacob deGrom (and the other Mets pitchers)
DeGrom is the best pitcher on the planet in spite of being backed by some of baseball's worst defense, and the shortstop play has been a problem. Now deGrom's shortstop will save him runs, rather than consistently creating situations deGrom has to pitch around.
5. The Yankees
For years, the assumption in New York has been that the Yankees would elbow their way past the Mets in competition for coveted players. Lindor would have been a great fit for the Yankees, but he'll be wearing a Mets uniform, probably for many years to come.
6. The other shortstops who will become free agents next fall
If Lindor signs a long-term deal with the Mets, he'll set the market price for Story, Seager, Correa and Baez.
7. The Rockies
Their strong preference is to keep Story and build around him. But soon enough, they'll learn how expensive it'll be to keep Story. If they can't sign him this offseason, they need to trade him to one of the big-market teams looking for long-term solutions at shortstop.
8. The Twins, White Sox and Royals
Their path to the top of the AL Central just got easier, now that Cleveland has dealt the division's most dynamic player.
9. Michael Conforto and Pete Alonso
They'll have a whole lot more opportunities to drive in runs with Lindor hitting in front of them.
10. Mets fans
They are finally being rewarded for the pain of their loyalty.