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Shortstop Francisco Lindor of the New York Mets celebrates hitting a home run in the MLB spring training game against the Washington Nationals at The Ballpark of The Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., March 21, 2021. /CFP
Four-time All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor of the New York Mets has reached a 10-year, $341-million contract extension with the team, reported ESPN's Jeff Passan on Wednesday.
That will become the third-biggest deal in total value in MLB history, only after the ones for Mike Trout ($426.5 million) and Mookie Betts ($365 million). It's also the first time for the Mets to sign a contract worth over $200 million with a player.
Having played six seasons in the major league for the Cleveland Indians, Lindor won two Gold Glove Awards and two Silver Slugger Awards. In 2016, he achieved a .301 batting average, 78 runs batted in (RBI), and 15 home runs in 158 games. In the post-season, Lindor had seven multi-hit games, more than any player under 23 years old ever did. He claimed 16 playoff hits, the most in the Indians' franchise history since 1997, and became the youngest batter of the team to get six World Series hits.
Shortstop Francisco Lindor of the Cleveland Indians fouls off a pitch during the third inning in Game 7 of the World Series against the Chicago Cubs at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S., November 2, 2016. /CFP
Lindor kept improving his numbers in the following seasons, but the Indians never made the World Series anymore. During the offseason, the Mets traded for him by sending infielders Andres Gimenez and Amed Rosario, right-hander Josh Wolf and outfielder Isaiah Greene to the cash-strapped Indians. Then the Mets agreed to a one-year, $22.3-million deal with Lindor to avoid salary arbitration. That number alone is already the fourth-biggest in MLB history, following $27 million of Betts with the Boston Red Sox in 2020, 26 million of Nolan Arenado with the Colorado Rockies in 2019, and 23 million of Josh Donaldson with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2018.
Lindor earlier made it clear that he wanted a deal done by Opening Day or he would "go to free agency." Moreover, he was reportedly asking for $380 million over 12 years. The Mets' first baseman Peter Alonso even told reporters that the team should pay Lindor $400 million for a contract extension.
Meanwhile, the Mets' new owner Steve Cohen, who only took the majority last year, wanted to keep Lindor longer and did not want the extra competition. "Lindor is a heckuva player and a great guy. I hope he decides to sign," posted Cohen on Twitter on Tuesday.
The Mets will challenge the Washington Nationals in their season opener on Thursday.
