Major League Baseball teams eyeing their shortstop of the future might want to set aside some money, because it sure sounds like Francisco Lindor is going to become a free agent.
The Cleveland Indians shortstop is set to hit free agency after the 2021 season, and it appears the team he’s spent his entire career with would like to keep him.
However, according to MLB insider Keith Law, Lindor won’t even entertain the Indians’ attempts to discuss a contract extension.
.@keithlaw on @BullandFox on #Indians – Lindor: "What I've actually heard…they would like to pay him, but he won't even entertain contract extension offers. Absolutely his right to do that. They've tried to have those conversations…there just hasn't been a negotiation at all"
— Keith Britton (@KeithBritton86) May 5, 2020
.@keithlaw on @BullandFox more on #Indians – Lindor: "I personally think, knowing him and knowing who his representative is, they just want to go to free agency. My understanding is, the team was willing to talk extension with him and he just said 'I'm going to free agency.'"
— Keith Britton (@KeithBritton86) May 5, 2020
This is similar to what Mookie Betts has done, betting on himself so he can get the biggest possible haul in free agency rather than potentially settle for below market value by signing an extension early.
And while Lindor is well within his rights to wait things out and get to free agency, it is interesting he won’t listen to the Indians given all the uncertainty around baseball — and sports in general — amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
In 143 games last season, Lindor hit .284 with a .854 OPS, mashing 32 homers with 74 RBIs while winning his second career Gold Glove.
