Indians Reportedly Offered Francisco Lindor $100 Million Contract Before Season

Francisco Lindor has had a meteoric rise in Major League Baseball, so great that the small-market Cleveland Indians reportedly tried to lock up their All-Star shortstop for nearly $100 million.

Per Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci (via Fox Sports), the Indians reportedly made an offer of "around $100 million" to Lindor before the season that he didn't accept. 

In an amusing moment during spring training, the six-year-old son of Indians general manager Mike Chernoff said on a radio broadcast the team was trying to re-sign Lindor, per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com). 

Lindor was called up to the big leagues in 2015 and finished second in American League Rookie of the Year voting that season. The 23-year-old was named to the AL All-Star team and helped the Indians reach the World Series last season. 

The Indians have Lindor under team control through 2021. He's not eligible for arbitration until after next season. 

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