Francisco Lindor, Mets Agree to 10-Year, $341M Contract Extension

The New York Mets and Francisco Lindor agreed to a 10-year, $341 million extension, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported the contract will begin in 2022 and thus doesn't include Lindor's $22.3 million salary for 2021. Per the New York Post's Joel Sherman, he'll receive a partial no-trade clause as well, while The Athletic's Tim Britton reported the contract has no opt-outs.

With Opening Day rapidly approaching, Passan raised some alarm bells when he reported the two sides "are no closer" to a deal:

According to SNY's Andy Martino, the Mets put a 10-year, $325 million offer on the table, while Tim Healey of Newsday reported Lindor countered by asking for $385 million over 12 years.

This seemed like it would be a straightforward situation in which the Mets and Lindor met somewhere in the middle. The team clearly wanted to keep the four-time All-Star shortstop, and his counteroffer wasn't so large as to raise doubts about whether his desire to remain in New York was genuine.

Both Lindor and team owner Steven Cohen had an incentive to striking an agreement as soon as possible.

While he wouldn't be the highest-paid player in the league, the Mets' offer was arguably a pretty fair reflection of his on-field value. And there was no guarantee something better would be waiting for him in free agency.

Cohen, meanwhile, risked alienating a fanbase that wants to see an owner willing to pony up the dough after the reign of the Wilpon family. Acquiring Lindor wouldn't have counted for as much if he didn't stay with the Mets beyond 2021.

Cohen's flippant attitude toward the situation on social media almost certainly would've come back to bite him, too.

Passan referenced the artificial Opening Day deadline to have things in place, thus leaving hours before the Mets get things underway Thursday against the Washington Nationals at 7:09 p.m. ET. Now, Lindor's future will no longer be a storyline hovering around the Mets.

The 2022 free-agent class is loaded at shortstop, with Javier Baez, Carlos Correa, Corey Seager and Trevor Story all hitting the open market.

Between Lindor and Fernando Tatis Jr. (14 years, $340 million), the going rate for elite talent at the position is now set.