Guardians: Regrading the Francisco Lindor trade after Andres Gimenez extension

When Steve Cohen bought the Mets, he promised stardom. Cohen delivered when he traded for then-Guardians star Francisco Lindor. However, he gave up Andres Gimenez in the process.

Francisco Lindor has had his ups and downs in New York, but at the time, the Mets trade was designated a clear victory. While Lindor was coming off a down 2020 season, he was due a new contract and acquired for pennies on the dollar as a result — or so we thought.

The Mets trade package for Lindor was as follows, and doesn’t take into account the $341 million the Guardians saved in the process.

Andres Gimenez extension: Guardians give All-Star a new contract

The 24-year-old was worth 7.4 WAR last season, making his first All-Star team and winning a Gold Glove at second base. The terms of the contract weren’t known at the time of this writing, but any team-friendly deal which avoids heated arbitration arguments is a good thing for Cleveland. The Guardians payroll is a constant topic of conversation in Cleveland. It’s good to see them spend on a young player who has earned his keep and then some.

Who won the Francisco Lindor trade?

The New York Mets received their long-term shortstop — and locked him up for a decade — as well as a reliable starting pitcher. At the time of the move, it was easy to see why the Mets made it.

Jeff McNeil is a reliable second baseman and a former All-Star in his own right. Yes, Gimenez is an electric young player the Mets may regret giving away in the long run, but they’ll still be reaping the benefits of acquiring Lindor for a decade to come.

Amed Rosario has also put up respectable numbers in Cleveland. Last season, he slashed .283/.312/.403 with 11 home runs, playing primarily shortstop. He and Gimenez make for a reliable infield for years to come.

As for the prospects, they haven’t really worked out in Cleveland’s favor just yet. Wolf had 5.35 ERA in 2021 and a 5.61 ERA in 2022. Greene put up good numbers in rookie ball, but tailed off a bit in Single-A. More time in the minors is required to see his full potential.

For now, the Mets are still ‘winners’ of this move, simply because they have Lindor locked up, and he plays an in-demand position. But the Guardians are close.