Cleveland Indians: 3 favorites to get Francisco Lindor after Winter Meetings

With the Winter Meetings bringing little action, they did provide enough rumors to give clarity to where the Cleveland Indians could deal Francisco Lindor.

With the Winter Meetings being virtual this year, there was an expectation that less would happen, but we at least gained a sense of clarity for favorites to make a deal with the Cleveland Indians for Francisco Lindor. Reports once again surfaced that the Indians are “aggressively” looking for a trade partner.

For fans of the Tribe, this doesn’t come as a surprise as the writing has been on the wall for awhile now. However, the aggressiveness is starting to draw the attention of other teams who are emerging as clubs that could be interested.

After the success that Mookie Betts and the Los Angeles Dodgers made this past season, there are multiple teams that are hoping to replicate that move and make a splash this offseason. The only catch is the uncertainty of the financial stability of teams after the 2020 season and the remaining unknowns of the 2021 season.

This, among others, is one of the reasons why the Indians want to move Lindor and save money. In order for that to happen, the Cleveland Indians need to find a team that is willing to give up a decent amount for Francisco Lindor, whether that be just one year or include a long-term agreement. Being one of the better and younger players in the league, Lindor is expected to bring a massive haul to Cleveland, but it might not be the best timing given the state of the league.

After the Winter Meetings, these three teams have been linked to Lindor the most and are emerging as potential favorites to strike a deal for the star shortstop. There could be other teams that come out of the shadows, but as we near the inevitable news of a deal keep an eye on these three teams to become increasingly aggressive to reach an agreement.

Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays were almost immediately mentioned in the Francisco Lindor talk as soon as the Winter Meetings were underway. Not only did they emerge as a potential trade partner, but there’s a lot to like about the possibility of this team as well as a lot of reason for why it could happen.

For starters, the Blue Jays have the assets to interest the Cleveland Indians in a deal. The main player that has been rumored to be included would be outfielder Lourdes Gurriel, who served as the base for all three potential packages we put together earlier this week.

In addition to Gurriel, the Blue Jays have a deep farm system and young roster to include in the offer to sweeten the deal. Whether it be a young player that becomes expendable with Lindor, like Cavan Biggio or even Bo Bichette, or a different prospect, there’s plenty of options for the Indians to explore.

Another plus for the Indians is the familiarity with the Blue Jays. Mark Shapiro and the Indians’ brass know each other well which could make negotiations easier than with other teams. Given all the circumstances, it seems like the Blue Jays are the current favorite to land Lindor, but that can change quickly.

Cincinnati Reds

A more surprising team that has been paired with Francisco Lindor and the Cleveland Indians in trade talks are the Cincinnati Reds. It wouldn’t be the first time the Indians and Reds made a deal and it has happened recently, seeing Trevor Bauer move to southern Ohio.

Like Toronto, the Reds have players in their system that could interest the Indians, but they aren’t as close to being ready for the majors as the players from the Blue Jays would be. Additionally, it would be hard for Cincinnati to match the talent of a player like Gurriel, unless they would be willing to part with Nick Senzel.

The other side to the Reds that could keep a deal from getting done is their financial restrictions. While they might be willing to pay more than the Indians, would they have enough to keep Lindor long-term? If not, then what they are willing to offer will go down, making a deal less likely.

Given the proximity of where the rumors are originating from in Cleveland, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that the Reds have come up a decent amount. While they might not have the most to offer, they could make an intriguing offer to the Indians that could get the ball rolling for a bigger deal like we saw with Trevor Bauer a little over a year ago.