Cleveland Indians: 3 possible Francisco Lindor trades to New York Mets

Cleveland Indians add immediate help

If the New York Mets are trading for Francisco Lindor, then it will be rather difficult for the Cleveland Indians to pry away any of their top tier major league players. Those players will be key in the team’s success, so parting with them doesn’t make much sense. Luckily, Brandon Nimmo and Andres Gimenez are expendable enough to make the deal happen.

The name that Tribe fans want to see out of the Mets is Dominic Smith, but the odds of that are slim. Smith has plenty of years left of arbitration and just isn’t a piece that New York will want to part with. However, his outburst makes moving Nimmo seem less strenuous to the team.

Nimmo has taken a bit longer to adapt to the majors than he was expected to, but that could fit perfectly into this new plan the Indians are using that resembles the Rays. This past season was one of his best yet statistically, but he was overshadowed by Smith. He could easily solidify another outfield position for Cleveland, covering a big need.

As for Gimenez, he only debuted this past year but showed promise. As a utility infielder, he appeared in 49 games and was able to slash .263/.333/.398 while tallying three home runs and eight stolen bases.

In the long-run he would probably turn into a Mike Aviles, Mike Freeman type do-it-all player for the Tribe, but in the short-term he could cover second or short while prospects like Gabriel Arias and Tyler Freeman progress through the minors.

The Cleveland Indians build for the future.

If the Cleveland Indians should decide that they want prospects for the future from the New York Mets, then the odds of Francisco Lindor landing in the Big Apple definitely go up. While they don’t have recognizable names in the minors, they have more to offer from that pool than their current major league roster.

For starters, the Indians land Francisco Alvarez, the No. 2 prospects in the Mets’ organization. Catcher prospects don’t always pan out, so adding another top level prospect at the position is a good idea here. At only 19, there will be a good amount of time before Alvarez is ready, but his potential is high.

Secondly, the Indians land Isaiah Greene, the No. 10 prospect for New York. The Mets’ second round pick in the 2020 MLB Draft out of high school, there isn’t much scouting on Greene against professional talent. However, the upside is still there.

The third player coming to Cleveland here is infielder Jaylen Palmer, who comes in at No. 19 on the Mets’ prospect list. Just 20-years old, Palmer rounds out a young trio of players and hasn’t played above rookie ball.

I’d be shocked if this is the deal that lands Lindor, but there just isn’t much for the Mets to offer the Indians and that comes from all angles that could attempt to try.

The blockbuster deal.

Alright, I don’t see it happening, but here it is. The deal where the Cleveland Indians somehow manage to land Dominic Smith. After receiving MVP votes during the 2020 season, it seems unlikely that Smith would be dealt. However, that might be the price the Mets have to pay if they want Francisco Lindor.

During the 2020 season Smith slashed an impressive .316/.377/.616 with 10 home runs and 42 RBI. The catch was that he also struck out 45 times and his position flexibility isn’t exactly great. Odds are, he would have to play first in Cleveland. What could balance that out though beyond just his play is his contract. Smith’s final year of arbitration won’t be until the 2024 season, giving up to four seasons of cheap play to the Indians.

As for Cleveland, they have to add Bradley Zimmer to the deal to sweeten the offer. Zimmer has shown flashes, but his injury history could make him the odd man out in a crowded outfield entering the 2020 season. The Indians also get Gimenez in this deal as well to add to the infield mix for the time being.

All-in-all, the Indians additionally give up Zimmer to land a potential emerging star in Smith.