Here’s what the Yankees need to give up to trade for Francisco Lindor

Francisco Lindor is the perfect shortstop to solidify the Yankees infield. Here’s how New York can pry him away from the Indians. 

Gleyber Torres is a key part of the Yankees long-term future but it won’t be as the team’s starting shortstop. His shaky defense will force him to move to a different position. That’s why Brian Cashman and his front office should have their sights set on acquiring Francisco Lindor ahead of this year’s Trade Deadline.

The Indians don’t want to deal Lindor this season, but the Yankees are not a franchise that typically takes no for an answer when they want to make a deal. The fact that the two sides have already begun discussing trades this month opens the door for New York to overwhelm Cleveland with a giant offer for the 26-year-old All-Star.

The only reason the Indians will even consider dealing Lindor is that he’s due to hit free agency after the completion of the 2021 season. Cleveland understands they’ll struggle to pay him like the superstar that he unquestionably is. A team like the Yankees would stand a great chance of luring him away in unrestricted free agency. The Indians can’t afford to let such a valuable asset leave without receiving compensation in return.

That doesn’t mean the Indians are going to give Lindor away. Their front office will demand a king’s ransom in exchange for their superstar. The question the Yankees need to answer is just how far they’re willing to go to acquire Lindor immediately.

The Yankees will need to start any offer by including either Clint Frazier or Miguel Andujar. The Indians will want at least one young player capable of immediately impacting their Major League roster as a part of any deal. Andujar’s value is almost non-existent at the moment due to his struggles this season. In sharp contrast, Frazier has been on fire since being recalled from the team’s Alternate Facility. That makes it easy to see who Cleveland will require to be in the deal. Frazier has to be the headliner for the Yankees to get this done.

The next item on the Indians’ shopping list will be a young prospect capable of becoming an All-Star in the future. The Yankees aren’t moving Jasson Dominguez in any deal. They believe he has the potential to be an MVP once he matures. That means Cleveland will need to look at the next tier of prospects in New York’s organization.

That choice will likely boil down to two pitchers. Both Clarke Schmidt and Deivi Garcia are seen as top-100 level prospects that have a chance to become quality pieces of the Yankees’ rotation in the relatively near future. Schmidt is the more polished of the pair. Many believe he’s ready to help New York win games right now. Garcia requires more projection but he arguably has better stuff. Bet on the Indians to back the sure thing. That makes Schmidt the second player the Yankees would need to include in the trade.

Getting Frazier and Schmidt back in the deal is almost enough to convince the Indians to pull the trigger. The last thing they’ll require is a player who can help fill the infield void created by Lindor’s potential departure. The Yankees will be comfortable offering either Thairo Estrada or Tyler Wade as a guys who can step in and make an immediate impact for Cleveland. The Indians would likely choose Wade because of his defensive versatility and speed.

Admittedly, the Yankees would hate to give up on any of the three projected players in this deal. Frazier has a chance to be an offensive star. Schmidt appeals to the front office as a guy who can slot into the starting rotation at a very reasonable price for several seasons. Wade might only be a super-sub, but he’s got a lot of fans inside the organization as well.

That’s the sort of talent New York needs to part with if they want to get a potential superstar at one of the game’s most important positions. In the end, it’s a price worth paying for the Yankees. This is the sort of move that turns really good teams into World Series Champions.