Jason Burgos
This has been a miserable season thus far for the New York Mets. Heading into their game on Wednesday night against the Kansas City Royals, their 38-54 record is among the worst in MLB. It is why they are expected to be sellers before the trade deadline, and soon.
The Mets will listen to offers on starter Freddy Peralta, relievers Brooks Raley, Luke Weaver, and AJ Minter, and even Francisco Alvarez in the coming days. However, according to legendary New York radio host Mike Francesca, the club is “going to try very, very hard to trade Francisco Lindor.“ The reason is a poor relationship with the team’s other top star, Juan Soto.
At 32 years old and with five years and over $160 million left on his contract, the five-time All-Star will probably be the odd man out. If the Mets do seriously consider moving Lindor before next month’s MLB trade deadline, we look at five potential landing spots for the star shortstop.
Toronto Blue Jays
After being on the cusp of winning the franchise’s third World Series championship in October, the Toronto Blue Jays have been a major disappointment in 2026. While they have endured a bunch of injuries, their offense has been surprisingly underwhelming so far, and they are near the bottom of the league in homers and total bases.
Since Toronto executives Mark Shapiro and Ross Adkins of history with Lindor in Cleveland, targeting him is very possible. Plus, the Jays were linked to a trade earlier this season to replace Andres Gimenez.
Cleveland Guardians
While the Cleveland Guardians are not known for making bold trades where they add a big contract, this could be an exception. Lindor’s first six seasons were in Ohio, and he became a top star in the league during that time by going to four All-Star games.
With the Guardians in a battle for a division title and a Wild Card spot, the shortstop could be the difference in making the playoffs or not this fall. Lindor returning to Cleveland for a playoff run would be a very intriguing story.
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees have gone into a serious slump over the last few weeks. Mostly due to some major injuries, including to reigning MVP Aaron Judge. But they need more offensive thump, especially at shortstop, even when they are at full strength. The idea of the Mets trading Lindor to their in-city rival may not sit well with their fanbase. However, if the Yankees are desperate enough to make a strong offer, it may be worth it.
Adding Lindor to the Yanks lineup would definitely bolster New York’s chance of reaching the World Series in October.
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are not going to have a shot at the NL West title as they sit 14 games out in July. However, they are only 4.5 games behind for the final Wild Card spot. The organization is not against making bold moves for stars, and Lindor is both an impact player and a great character addition to the clubhouse.
The combo of Lindor and Ketel Marte up the middle and in the batting order would be pretty good for the next few years.
Detroit Tigers
This has been a very disappointing year for the 41-50 Detroit Tigers. In the next couple of weeks, they will need to decide if they should take offers on ace Tarik Skubal. However, they are only 5 games out of the final Wild Card spot with a lot of the season left. They are a middle-of-the-road hitting team, but Lindor can be the player who helps elevate their batting order in a major way.
Plus, he isn’t a rental and can help them stay competitive in future seasons.
