When the New York Mets traded for Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco in early 2021, the star shortstop made it very clear that he wanted to sign an extension before the start of the season; otherwise, he would be testing the free agent market. He got his wish and just before the first game of the 2021 campaign, he put pen to paper on a huge $341 million deal.
Many people, over the years, have called him overrated, overpaid, and all kinds of things. Despite the controversy and the rumblings, he has played well for most of his contract and has reached his peak with the Mets in 2024. If it wasn’t for Shohei Ohtani, he would probably win the NL MVP award.
The Mets have a superstar in his prime
Lindor has led the Mets, both in the regular season and now in the playoffs. On Wednesday, he gifted his team its ticket to their first National League Championship Series since 2015 with a huge grand slam against Carlos Estevez and the Philadelphia Phillies in the sixth inning. It was all the Mets needed to win the game and secure the Division Series three games to one.
Now that Lindor is a superstar in his prime (30 years old), posting an MVP-caliber season, and showing a clutch bat in the playoffs, his detractors are running out of bad things to say about him. Those $341 million are looking like a bargain right now.
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Steve Cohen jokes about Francisco Lindor’s massive payday
That’s what Mets owner Steven Cohen said, or implied, as he celebrated his team’s victory on Wednesday:
“That 341 (million) is looking pretty freakin good right now,” Cohen told Mets insider Mike Puma. And yes, he is right: top-end talent, in MLB, costs money. Juan Soto, for example, will make close to $500 million in the open market. Ohtani made $700 million for himself.
As time goes by, Lindor’s $341 million pact is looking better and better considering his all-around stellar play, the way he involves his teammates, and how he has led them to the NLCS. He is a star in every sense of the word, both offensively and defensively. Lindor is showing the intangibles of a champion.
