Should the New York Yankees still be in on Francisco Lindor during 2021 free agency?
The New York Yankees and Francisco Lindor have been connected for quite some time. A potential trade with the Cleveland Indians has bubbled to the surface on numerous occasions, as Lindor represents one of the best players in the league at shortstop, and the Yankees are currently taking a risk with Gleyber Torres at the position.
Torres played 77 games at shortstop in 2019, posting a .961 fielding percentage. That is below average in the MLB, which sits at .970. He also committed 11 errors, showing a deficient value at the position, which could be problematic for the Yanks in the future. However, the team is confident that he can improve his abilities and cement himself at shortstop for the foreseeable future. The 2020 season was meant to be a significant test for Torres, giving him a large sample size of live reps at the position.
If Torres struggles and the New York Yankees feel he is better off starting at second base, Lindor could be a fantastic option in free agency in 2021. The 26-year-old is a bonafide star, having been named four times to the All-Star team, winning two Gold Gloves and a pair of Silver Slugger awards. Over the last three seasons, he has had at least 32 home runs, showing off his offensive capabilities.
Lindor managed to avoid arbitration this past off-season, deciding on a one year, $17.5 million contract with the Indians. This allows him to hit free agency in 2021, despite having one year of eligibility in arbitration left. Nonetheless, it makes him an attractive trade piece for the Indians, but a shortened season would likely see him retained for competitive reasons.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, who appeared Tuesday on 92.3 The Fan’s “Baskin & Phelps†program, stated that trading Lindor seems off the table.
“This year, everybody has a chance to get to the World Series. If you have a 16-team (playoff), you’ve got to be terrible to not make the postseason. And anything can happen in the postseason. I also believe that, with what’s happening now, and everybody’s losing money, I can’t see Lindor being traded until perhaps July of next year. Nobody is going to have the appetite to take on that kind of contract he’s going to make, and only have him for one season. So if I’m the Indians, I keep him through at least July of next year, and see where they stand in the standings.â€
Ultimately, adding Lindor to an already stacked batting order would be unfair. A healthy Aaron Judge, Torres, Giancarlo Stanton, Gary Sanchez, and others, give the Yankees more firepower than they know what to do with. Lindor’s bat is just as efficient if not better than most, giving the Bombers arguably one of the best lineups in the history of the team. If they can remain healthy, which has been a struggle in recent years, 2021 could be one for the history books.