Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The New York Mets face organizational challenges with potential changes coming this offseason.
- A veteran executive is evaluating key partnerships that have come under scrutiny this season.
- The next manager must address a high-profile situation to reset the team's direction and fan confidence.
Assuming that all goes to plan and the New York Mets hire Carlos Beltrán as their next manager, he’ll certainly have his work cut out for him.
Not only are the Mets in an organizational free fall, but they’re potentially on the verge of a fire sale. Lead baseball executive David Stearns has watched several of his marquee additions fail this season, and concerns are mounting about the Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto partnership.
Beltrán, who will enter the Hall of Fame later this month, is reportedly the favorite to take over the Mets this winter. But even before he gets settled and arranges his office at Citi Field, Beltrán’s priority should be addressing — and solving — the growing Lindor problem.
Carlos Beltrán must push for a Francisco Lindor trade
When you were a child, your parents likely told you that if you have nothing nice to say, keep your mouth shut.
That rule of thumb doesn’t apply when discussing a struggling New York athlete.
Although his counting statistics over the last six years are certainly nice, it’s becoming harder to think overly positively about the Lindor era. Not only did the Mets endure a devastating collapse last year, but their All-Star shortstop continued to prove he’s incapable of properly leading the team. We learned that fairly early on when he and then-teammate Javier Báez were forced to apologize after doing a “thumbs down” gesture to Mets fans in the summer of 2021.
The last 12 months have been especially ugly. Mets owner Steve Cohen publicly shut down the idea of Lindor becoming a captain, and he responded by attending Knicks playoff games while on the injured list. Cohen also confirmed that Lindor and Soto’s relationship is significantly better than it was a year ago.
If Beltrán intends to win in New York, he must work with Lindor, Cohen, and Stearns on a trade this offseason. The veteran shortstop has five years and over $162 million left on his contract, as well as deferred money through 2041. But most importantly, Lindor has a full no-trade clause through the end of his deal.
Even if Lindor loves playing in Queens, it’s become abundantly clear that this is an untenable marriage. Outside of Soto and his younger teammates, the Mets need a full reset, and Lindor shouldn’t factor into their long-term plans. The damage is done, and the fans have fully turned on Lindor — and as anyone familiar with the Citi Field crowd knows, it is very difficult to win Mets fans back when they’ve lost their patience.
The risks of keeping Lindor and Soto together far outweigh the potential benefits, not when the Braves and Phillies remain legitimate World Series contenders. We’re also seeing the Marlins emerge from their latest rebuild, largely because of their young players breaking through.
Soto has more than lived up to his record-setting contract, though the Mets must do everything in their power to avoid making him the next Mike Trout. The Angels wasted Trout’s prime, and he hasn’t even enjoyed a winning season since 2015. Good luck finding a team to take on Soto’s contract.
The final call will come down to Lindor, and we suggest that he consider approving a trade. It’s not like the Mets will forcibly send him to a bottom-feeder. If a contender shows interest in Lindor, all parties should work together to make a blockbuster deal happen.
Beltrán saw enough disasters during his six-plus seasons playing for the Mets. He’d be wise to do everything in his power to avoid working through another one.
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