Francisco Lindor was all smiles with reporters last night. During the pregame scrum, Lindor looked happy and relaxed, more so than he’s ever been during his time in New York. He acknowledged the Cleveland faithful when given an ovation during his first at-bat, and although it didn’t help him at the plate, he channeled his inner Derek Jeter to complete a jump-throw to retire Tyler Freeland in the eighth inning.
It’s taken three years for Lindor to return to where it started. The place that made him an All-Star and wealthy beyond his wildest dreams. I am sure the Mets and Lindor didn’t think they would be where they are today when the trade went down on January 7th, 2021, sending Andres Gimenez, Amed Rosario, and minor leaguers to Cleveland.
It’s been up and down in New York for the All-Star shortstop, and his performance this year has led to an inflection point where the Mets can be a few weeks away from a major teardown. If David Stearns elects to do so, it’s possible that Lindor will spend the first half of his New York contract in a rebuild and uncertainty. By the time the Mets are primed to win as they did in 2022, Lindor might be in his late prime, and who knows what kind of player he will be?
This begs the question of whether he regrets leaving Cleveland. Also, how can the Mets better assess what players are built for New York and, more specifically, the anvil of expectations that comes with being a Met? It’s what the Talkin’ Mets podcast affectionately calls “the yoke.”
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