Francisco Lindor’s contract is embarrassing for MLB, but not in the way you think

Francisco Lindor is taking home a payday in 2021 that rivals certain payrolls around MLB. 

Francisco Lindor and the New York Mets appeared to be at a stalemate over a new contract. That all changed before Opening Day when news dropped that the star shortstop signed a 10-year, $341 million deal.

He also got himself a crisp $21 million signing bonus that is hitting his bank account soon. ESPN’s Buster Olney detailed Lindor’s 2021 payday and teams around MLB with low payrolls should be embarrassed.

Francisco Lindor could pay several MLB payrolls in 2021

Lindor’s former team, the Cleveland Indians, are in the basement of MLB in terms of payroll at just under $50 million. The Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles, and Miami Marlins are the other teams to come in under the $60 million mark.

Meanwhile, the Mets are giving Lindor a $21 million signing bonus like it is nothing.

MLB has an open problem in terms of salaries. The lack of a salary cap means a team like the Los Angeles Dodgers can spend as much as they want to land the best players. However, the lack of some sort of salary floor means a team like Cleveland can shed payroll to an alarming level.

Not every owner is going to spend like Steve Cohen. However, it is sad to know that a good chunk of MLB teams will never sign top talent in free agency. Everyone going to New York or Los Angeles isn’t fun for fans around the league.

Change takes time and it would not be shocking for the league to tell teams at the bottom of the payroll table they need to hit a certain mark on an annual basis. If not, those owners are just making a profit and hurting the competitiveness of the league.