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8 Francisco Lindor Trade Ideas Wild Enough For Mets to Consider
Let there be no doubt that the odds are against a Francisco Lindor trade between now and MLB's August 3 trade deadline. Something wild would have to happen.
Like, for instance, a wild trade proposal. And we have eight that we want to share.
All we know for now is that, as per Chelsea Janes of SNY, Lindor is not "off the table" as the last-place New York Mets prepare to sell off assets at the deadline. But they're not shopping him either, and his trade value is complicated by A) a rough season marked by 0.5 rWAR, B) $185.8 million remaining on his contract through 2031 and C) a full no-trade clause.
Especially in the face of a winter market that will be light on free-agent bats, though, other teams can see the five-time All-Star shortstop as a superstar worth a serious bid. And in this context, "serious" means offering the Mets something that they would actually want. As the 2023 trade of Justin Verlander can vouch, payroll relief alone is presumably not going to cut it for Steve Cohen.
As such, what we've come up with are mostly bad contract swaps in which the Mets would be getting back controllable major leaguers and/or prospect talent. Each of the eight got some level of approval from Baseball Trade Values.
The deals are ranked from least wild to most wild.
Note: Prospect ranks are according to B/R's Joel Reuter.
8. Cleveland Guardians
1 of 8
Trade Proposal: Cleveland Guardians get SS Francisco Lindor ($185.8M), $80M cash; New York Mets get SS Brayan Rocchio, SS Angel Genao (MLB No. 34)
Why the Guardians Would Do It
There's no point hiding it. This is straight-up nostalgia bait, and it's arguably misguided on account of how Rocchio leads Cleveland hitters with 2.5 rWAR.
But while a guy like Rocchio can help you through a 162-game regular season, a proper World Series pursuit deserves a better shortstop. And in this case, having the Mets pay down basically half of Lindor's remaining contract would lower the risk to a level more in line with Cleveland's notoriously stingy spending habits.
It's losing Genao that would really hurt, but the Guardians would be able to get over it if Lindor's return paid off with a Fall Classic berth. And with the American League as wide-open as ever, the chances of that would be pretty good.
Why the Mets Should Do It
Would the Mets really pay down so much of Lindor's contract? Perhaps it's a reach… until you remember they ate a massive chunk of Justin Verlander's contract in 2023 to make that deal. This wouldn't be as sizable a bite of Lindor's deal.
Apart from that, Rocchio would give them an instant plug-and-play shortstop who's only 25 and under club control through 2029. He's not really a cornerstone player, but he wouldn't have to be next to Juan Soto and the lot in New York.
For his part, Genao could be converted to either third base or second base in deference to Rocchio. Either way, his appeal is as a plus hitter with a keen baseball mind. Both are qualities the Mets could use more of.
7. Los Angeles Dodgers
2 of 8
Trade Proposal: Los Angeles Dodgers get SS Francisco Lindor ($185.8M), $25M cash; New York Mets get RHP Edwin Díaz ($46.8M), LHP Justin Wrobleski
Why the Dodgers Would Do It
By now, the Dodgers have proven that they don't need Díaz. And once Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow are back off the injured list, even an All-Star like Wrobleski will look vaguely expendable.
As such, perhaps the real hurdle with this concept is what to do with Mookie Betts. He'd have to move back to second base in deference to Lindor at shortstop, which could be a hard sell for a future Hall of Famer who doesn't exactly stink up the joint at short. On the contrary, Betts plays like a Gold Glover there.
Then again, the pitch would be as simple as "We have a better shot at making it three straight with Lindor." And since the Dodgers are already 64-38 as is, it would be undeniably true.
Why the Mets Should Do It
The headline here would be about Díaz coming home, with the hope being that the three-time All-Star closer still has something left in the tank after surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow.
Yet even if the Mets would have to kick in some extra money to facilitate his coming, the real prize would be Wrobleski.
He would step right into a starting rotation that ranks 21st in ERA, and he could stay there for as long as the end of his club control in 2031. Even if this year's All-Star nod isn't an accurate reflection of his talent, he's no worse than a No. 2 starter behind Tarik Skubal once the Mets inevitably sign him.
6. Boston Red Sox
3 of 8
Trade Proposal: Boston Red Sox get SS Francisco Lindor ($185.8M); New York Mets get SS Trevor Story ($39.6M), OF Jarren Duran, RHP Kyson Witherspoon (MLB No. 92)
Why the Red Sox Would Do It
Yeah, it's amazing how a 14-game win streak can change things for a team. The Red Sox darn well should be buyers, and it would be hard to do better than Lindor as an upgrade for a shortstop spot that has produced just 0.4 rWAR.
For this, admitting defeat on Story after five mostly miserable years in Boston would be the easy part. Letting Duran go would be harder, but letting Witherspoon go would be hardest. He has some rough edges, but he was Boston's No. 15 pick in the draft just last year.
Would the Red Sox really take on the extra salary that would come with this deal? John Henry's reputation suggests not, but the fact that there's only a $9 million difference between what Lindor's and Story's annual salaries does help tip the scales toward believability.
Why the Mets Should Do It
If nothing else, swapping out Lindor for Story would amount to $146.2 million in savings for the Mets. There's lots they could do with that money, including putting it toward, oh, say half of what it'll cost to sign Tarik Skubal as a free agent.
Otherwise, Duran is a lottery ticket. He's taken a turn toward replacement-level this year, but he was an All-Star-caliber outfielder in 2024 and 2025. He's on the good side of 30 until September 5, with club control through 2028.
As for Witherspoon, the idea would be to ignore the 5.07 ERA he has at High-A this year. It's better to focus on his 99 mph fastball and devastating cutter.
5. Toronto Blue Jays
4 of 8
Trade Proposal: Toronto Blue Jays get SS Francisco Lindor ($185.8M); New York Mets get RHP José Berríos ($54.9M), RHP Jeff Hoffman ($15.2M), SS JoJo Parker (MLB No. 41)
Why the Blue Jays Would Do It
When you play Andrés Giménez at shortstop, you get Andrés Giménez at shortstop. The defense has been predictably excellent, but his 70 OPS+ is one of many problems in Toronto's underachieving offense.
This is why the Blue Jays would want Lindor, and using a trade to clean house in this manner would be worthwhile even if it amounted to a long-term payroll hit. Berríos, especially, put himself on thin ice before he had Tommy John surgery in May.
Parker would be the real loss, but he would be an acceptable sacrifice for a team with World Series revenge at the front of its mind after what happened in 2025. He's only 19 and at Single-A, and thus years from the big leagues.
Why the Mets Should Do It
Frankly, Berríos is here just for book-balancing. The Mets wouldn't be able to count on much from him, as he isn't due back until late 2027 ahead of his final year under contract in 2028.
Hoffman, on the other hand, could potentially be a major player in the bullpen next year. Even if he only has a 101 ERA+ to show for the last two seasons, his whiff and strikeout rates for this season are in the 98th percentile.
For the most part, though, it's the savings (don't make me tap the Tarik Skubal sign again) and the addition of Parker that would justify this deal for the Mets. Parker is a long way off, but he projects as a plus hitter with power.
4. New York Yankees
5 of 8
Trade Proposal: New York Yankees get SS Francisco Lindor ($185.8M); New York Mets get LHP Carlos Rodón ($66.3M), SS Anthony Volpe, OF Jasson Domínguez
Why the Yankees Would Do It
Beyond the one about whether the city of New York could handle a trade of this magnitude, the question at hand here is this: Do the Yankees want to bank on George Lombard Jr. at shortstop next year, or do they want to act now?
These are the Yankees we're talking about, so "now" should always come first. And Lindor is exactly the kind of player they need right now. Not just a shortstop upgrade, but a proven star with swagger and World Series experience.
And in this deal, they'd get Lindor for what amounts to a bucket of spare parts. The point is debatable on Rodón even amid an injury-plagued year, but Volpe's future in The Bronx has gotten murky while Domínguez's is just plain no longer visible.
Why the Mets Should Do It
Is the $120 million in savings alone enough for the Mets to do this deal? It would be if it ended up going to Tarik Skubal, and anything beyond that would be icing on the cake.
Even if the 33-year-old Rodón is cooked as a top-of-the-rotation starter, he wouldn't downgrade a rotation as bad as the one the Mets have. And if ever there were two change of scenery candidates, they're Volpe and Domínguez.
They're 25 and 23 with club control through 2028 and 2030, respectively. Volpe might still have a baseline as a 3-WAR shortstop, and Domínguez still has upside as a power-hitting corner outfielder.
3. San Francisco Giants
6 of 8
Trade Proposal: San Francisco Giants get SS Francisco Lindor ($185.8M); New York Mets get SS Willy Adames ($123M), OF Dakota Jordan (MLB No. 64)
Why the Giants Would Do It
Well, to put it bluntly, this trade would be about admitting defeat on Adames less than two years into his seven-year, $182 million contract.
Swapping him out for Lindor and even more money would be a bit like robbing Peter to pay Paul, but at least San Francisco would be banking on a raised ceiling. Adames has never gone higher than 4.3 rWAR in a season. Lindor has averaged 5.7 rWAR per 162 games for his career.
Sure, the Giants are in their current predicament largely because of Buster Posey's big swings, not despite them. But if anyone thinks he's going to save his skin by pivoting to small swings, we have a bridge to sell you.
Why the Mets Should Do It
The Mets wouldn't be saving as big a pile of dough with this deal as they would with some of the others, but it's something.
Adames, meanwhile, would get to reunite with former Milwaukee Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns in New York. And as far as he's concerned, the whole point may be to simply get Adames away from Oracle Park. Check out his splits for the last two years:
- Home: .685 OPS, 17 HR
- Away: .774 OPS, 31 HR
That's a potential win in waiting right there, and Jordan would bring a sky-high ceiling to the farm system. He's a polarizing prospect, but one with plus power and plus-plus speed.
2. Philadelphia Phillies
7 of 8
Trade Proposal: Philadelphia Phillies get SS Francisco Lindor ($185.8M); New York Mets get RHP Aaron Nola ($107.7M), SS Aidan Miller (MLB No. 55)
Why the Phillies Would Do It
Yeah, this is the part where things really get wild. Two NL East rivals hooking up on a trade? And of this magnitude? There's also the matter of whether Trea Turner or Lindor would move off shortstop, which doesn't sound like a fun conversation.
As bad contract swaps go, however, Nola has fallen so far that this deal would arguably favor the Phillies by default. It's not like they even need Nola to carry their rotation anymore, whereas they absolutely do need another bat.
Lindor's is as potent as they come in the middle of the infield when he's healthy and grooving. And if it meant a better shot at the World Series, one can at least imagine Turner swallowing his pride and moving to second base for the second time in his career.
Why the Mets Should Do It
Once again, savings. Sorry to yada-yada it, but everyone gets the gist by now.
And as bad as Nola has been (i.e., 5.84 ERA) over the last two years, the Mets have one of the only rotations in baseball that could look upon him as an upgrade. He's still a decent workhorse, and thus of use for a unit that is 25th in innings pitched.
As he hasn't played in 2026 due to a recurring back issue, the Mets would technically be buying low on Miller. Yet he only just turned 22 on June 9, and it was just last year that he really started to come into his own as a do-it-all shortstop. He had an .825 OPS, 14 homers and 59 stolen bases in 116 games in the high minors.
1. Atlanta Braves
8 of 8
Trade Proposal: Atlanta Braves get SS Francisco Lindor ($185.8M), LHP Sean Manaea ($30.4M); New York Mets get 3B Austin Riley ($140.4M), LHP Cam Caminiti (MLB No. 54)
Why the Braves Would Do It
At the heart of this proposal are two questions. There's the obligatory NL East rivals question, obviously. And would the Braves really rather have Lindor over Riley?
Neither is a sure thing by any stretch, but at least you could see Atlanta's logic on the Riley-for-Lindor swap. Riley has been trending down, down, down for three years. Lindor was still an elite player…[checks notes]… last year. He'd also plug a revolving door at shortstop that has produced only 1.1 rWAR.
On paper, Manaea isn't the "playoff-caliber starter" the Braves are seeking. Look deeper, though, and you see that his 5.13 ERA for the last two seasons obscures a 10.0 K/9 and what sure looks like lots of bad luck.
Why the Mets Should Do It
The math here works out to $75.5 million in savings for the Mets. And by now, we all know what bucket that money could go into.
As for Riley, well, the Mets could use someone they could lock into third base for the foreseeable future, and he's nothing if not a change of scenery candidate. It was a while ago that he was a consistent 6-WAR player, yet he doesn't turn 30 until April 2, 2027.
Once again, though, it's the prospect inclusion that sells it. Caminiti is one of the more promising lefties in the minors, with an arsenal consisting of three above-average pitches and a deceptive delivery.
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