The New York Mets instantly became a better team after trading for Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco from the Cleveland Indians.
The New York Mets have just acquired four-time All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor and 2019 Roberto Clemente Award winner Carlos Carrasco from the Cleveland Indians for shortstop Amed Rosario, infielder Andres Gimenez, and prospects Josh Wolf and Isaiah Greene.
Baseball has been waiting for the Mets to make a huge move and they finally did it. The culture is changing in Flushing.
The Mets just took a huge step and became legit contenders to win the division after this blockbuster deal. Lindor, 27. is in his prime and one of the best shortstops in the league. He has won two Silver Slugger Awards and two Gold Glove Awards. He is tremendous defensively and has been an AL MVP candidate for years. He is set to be a free agent after this season and New York is going to try their best to extend him soon.
Lindor ranks third in the majors with 258 extra-base hits since 2017. He is third in runs scored with 359 and fifth in hits with 592. Since he debuted in 2015, he has batted .285 with 138 home runs and 411 RBIs. He is a player that is extremely fun to watch, who is capable of leading a team to the playoffs and winning games.
Carrasco, 33, just provided a lot more depth for the Mets’ rotation. In 2020, he pitched 68 innings and struck out 82 batters, while holding a 2.91 ERA. He is now the number three pitcher in New York’s rotation. Over 11 seasons with Cleveland, he went 88-73 with a 3.77 ERA.
Carrasco is due $12 million in 2021 and $12 million in 2022, with a vesting option for 2023. They needed to address their rotation and were able to by acquiring Carrasco.
In addition to being a talented right-handed pitcher, Carrasco is one of the most likable players in the league, being a cancer survivor and a great philanthropist.
For Cleveland, they wanted to dump Carrasco’s contract and get value for Lindor before he would leave in free agency.
Rosario, 25, is going to play shortstop most likely and Gimenez, 22, could play second base. Rosario has shown flashes of being a quality everyday player, but has been inconsistent since he debuted in 2017. Gimenez showed he has potential during his 2020 rookie season. He hit consistently and is a solid baserunner.
The prospects are a few years away but add a lot of talent and depth to their farm system. Wolfe and Greene ranked the Mets’ 9th and 10th best prospects. Wolfe will eventually be in their rotation and Greene will be an outfielder in a few years for Cleveland.
Cleveland’s payroll, now that they have dumped their two highest paid players, is down to $35 million for the 2021 season.
The New York Mets’ lineup is going to be explosive and their rotation is going to be nasty. Cleveland is going to be a completely different team without their star Lindor and their starter Carrasco. This trade shakes up baseball big time.