Francisco Lindor was the face of the Cleveland Guardians since making his MLB debut in 2015 until 2020. The front office traded him to the New York Mets in 2021.
He was about to hit free agency and get really expensive, and the Guardians opted to trade him instead of paying him top money. He ended up signing a 10-year, $341 million contract in Queens.
Now, five and a half years later, the Mets find themselves dead last in the NL East, while the Guardians are competing for the AL Central’s top spot. Some people have speculated that New York might entertain dealing Lindor for the right price, and while that contract, his age (32), and other circumstances make that trade highly unlikely, you can never say never in baseball.
Two analysts found themselves debating this issue at 92.3 The Fan. Would a Lindor trade make sense for the Guardians?
“If the Guardians were one of the teams that got in on this, there’d be a part of me that would embrace the idea that Frankie comes back…but, face value, I’m not interested,” Nick Wilson said.
“You’re not interested in Lindor? Bring him here…I can’t sign up quick enough,” Jonathan Peterlin replied.
"If the Guardians were one of the teams that got in on this, there'd be a part of me that would embrace the idea that Frankie comes back…but, face value, I'm not interested."
"You're not interested in Lindor? Bring him here…I can't sign up quick enough."
🚨 @NickWilsonSays… pic.twitter.com/J96O0jiqKn
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) July 7, 2026
Lindor is just a few months removed from hamate bone surgery, and we know what that injury can do to a player’s ability to hit for power. Just a year after slashing a healthy .267/.346/.466 with 31 home runs and a 129 wRC+, the shortstop is batting just .210/.297/.355 with four homers and an 85 wRC+ in 35 games.
The production should eventually return. Lindor is still in his prime, highly athletic, proven, and motivated. The problem with any deal for the Guardians, however, would be his salary.
Cleveland would never agree to a deal in which they absorb a 32-year-old player making over $30 million per year, especially not with the lockout looming. Even if the Mets agree to eat half the money to get a relevant return package, it’s still a highly unlikely transaction.
The nostalgia of reuniting the Jose Ramirez-Lindor infield pairing would certainly be enticing, but this particular trade idea seems to be extremely far-fetched. The Guardians would probably prefer to keep rolling with Brayan Rocchio and allocate resources elsewhere, perhaps in the outfield or the bullpen.
NEXT: Guardians Lose Opener In Minnesota As Offense Sputters Again
