Cleveland Indians: Four burning questions heading into the offseason

What do the Indians do with Francisco Lindor?

There is still the possibility that Francisco Lindor signs long-term in Cleveland, but those odds are very small. The ownership has made the point that they won’t pay a player $30 million a year or more and Lindor will have a price tag much higher than that.

So, once again this offseason will be filled with trade talk and where Lindor could be moved to. As one of the best young stars in the game, trading Lindor before the season will make his value higher and could bring in one of the largest hauls in a trade that Cleveland may ever receive.

The 2020 season was a bit of a down year for Lindor. This past year, Lindor slashed career-lows across the board and struggled to find a rhythm throughout the odd season. Albeit, Lindor is still regarded as one of the best players and clubhouse members in the game.

While keeping Lindor would be ideal for more reasons than one, trading him is most likely the result. Unless ownership has a massive change in heart, there isn’t an avenue where he stays, meaning the Indians need to capitalize on what Lindor could bring in before the window closes and his value dips just before free agency.