The Mets won't trade Francisco Lindor: Here's every reason why

The New York Mets are going to be sellers at this year's trade deadline, and recent MLB rumors suggest that everybody not named Juan Soto, Nolan McLean, Christian Scott, AJ Ewing and Carson Benge will be available if the right deal presents itself to David Stearns. That even includes star shortstop Francisco Lindor, the longest-tenured Met.

On one hand, a Lindor trade could make some sense for a Mets organization in clear need of a reset as they turn their attention to 2027 and beyond. On the other hand, though, it's virtually impossible to see a trade going down by the August 3 deadline. Here's every reason why.

Francisco Lindor's contract is too big to move and get appropriate value back

First and foremost, Lindor's contract is substantial. Not only would the team acquiring him be on the hook for the remainder of the $32.4 million he's owed this season, but he's owed $32.4 million for each of the next five years after this one. That's over $160 million for the next five years.

To put it simply, that's a lot of money for a 32-year-old who is almost certainly on the downswing. Don't get me wrong, Lindor is still a phenomenal player who should not be judged solely by his lackluster numbers in an injury-riddled season, but how many teams are willingly going to pay over $160 million for the next half-decade for a player whose best days are behind him?

While sure Steve Cohen can pay down some of the contract, it's been reported that the Mets have no desire to pay down hefty salaries at this year's deadline. There won't be many, if any, teams willing to eat the remainder of Lindor's salary (especially with a potential lockout looming) while also being willing to offer the Mets something worthwhile in return.

Francisco Lindor has a full no-trade clause

Even if the Mets somehow find a deal of their liking, whether Lindor stays or goes ultimately begins and can end with the star shortstop himself. Lindor has 10/5 rights, meaning he's played at least 10 years in the majors and at least the last five years with the team he's currently on. By gaining the 10/5 rights, Lindor has picked up a full no-trade clause. This gives him the right to veto any deal that comes his way.

Now, Lindor having full veto powers does not mean he can't be traded. Look no further than his ex-teammate, Brandon Nimmo, who waived his no-trade clause this past offseason in a deal that sent him to the Texas Rangers. If there are teams Lindor is open to going to, he can be traded. The odds of the Mets finding a deal to their liking with a team of Lindor's liking feel rather slim. A lot has to break right for the Mets to even find a deal, and Lindor having full veto powers only adds another element to this.

The Mets hope to be competitive in the 2027 season

Another thing to consider is that while the Mets are waving the white flag on 2026, in no way are they rebuilding. The goal is still to win in 2027 while Juan Soto is in the middle of his prime. What are the odds that the Mets can trade Lindor in a deal that helps them improve for 2027?

This season has obviously been a bad one, but Lindor has also dealt with two major injuries. From 2022 through 2025, Lindor finished in the top 10 in the NL MVP balloting each year. Do people think that one down year in which he didn't have a spring training and hasn't been fully healthy means he's suddenly not a great player anymore?

If he's kept around, Lindor can help the Mets win in 2027. The odds of the Mets acquiring a player better than Lindor to help in 2027 feel incredibly slim.

Trading Francisco Lindor leaves the Mets without an adequate replacement for the foreseeable future

Mets fans are unhappy that the Mets let a franchise icon like Pete Alonso go this past offseason, but while David Stearns did not replace him properly, from Ryan O'Hearn to Willson Contreras to Kazuma Okamoto, there were viable replacement options. Who can the Mets plug in as Lindor's replacement at the premium position of shortstop?

The easy answer to some might be Bo Bichette, but not only do the Mets not know if he'll be opting in or out of his contract (or whether he'll be traded at the deadline), but his defense at shortstop is among the worst in the league while he's been rock-solid at third base. There's no logical reason to make Bichette the full-time shortstop.

Who else is there in terms of internal options? Has Ronny Mauricio really shown enough to make anyone believe he's a starting shortstop? Their best shortstop prospects (Mitch Voit, Elian Pena, Wandy Asigen) are all at least several years away from being big-league ready. There are no viable internal options.

The same can be said for external options. The best free agents are J.P. Crawford (who isn't really a shortstop) and Ha-Seong Kim (who has been one of the worst players in the league this season when healthy). Trading is allowed, but who can they realistically acquire? The best shortstops in the league, obviously, are unavailable. They could theoretically pursue guys like Corey Seager, Willy Adames and Xander Bogaerts, but why trade Lindor only to take on other shortstops making more money over more years who aren't as good as Lindor?

Trading Lindor means accepting a substantial decline in shortstop production, with no clear path towards landing a shortstop of the future. It's really hard to win without a good shortstop. That is an issue, and one the Mets cannot and will not take lightly.

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