Rival MLB executives are convinced the New York Mets are going to deal Francisco Lindor, but the wild part is they don’t see it happening at this year’s August 3 trade deadline. Seriously, this isn’t some pie-in-the-sky rumor, we’re talking about a serious consensus forming around a superstar shortstop.
The Mets Are In Full Sell Mode, But Lindor’s Future Is Wild
Look, the Mets are clearly hitting the reset button. They already shipped out David Peterson, and that’s just the start. It’s been “all but confirmed” they’re selling hard at the deadline. And while they’re apparently drawing lines in the sand on guys like Juan Soto and a few young prospects, the shocking omission from their “not for sale” list is Lindor. He’s totally in play as a trade chip. Can you even imagine? We’re talking about a guy who’s a five-time All-Star and a two-time Gold Glover!
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale dropped the real bombshell: rival MLB executives fully believe Lindor *will* be traded. But here’s the twist no one saw coming: it won’t be this summer. Nope, the whispers say it’s going down over the offseason, *after* the 2026 season wraps up. Nightengale even quoted them: “Rival executives believe that Lindor will eventually be traded, but more likely in the offseason than now.” Talk about playing the long game.
Why The Offseason Wait Makes It Even Crazier
So, even though rumors about Lindor started heating up after the All-Star break, and some reports even said the Mets wouldn’t deal him, Nightengale’s sources are doubling down on that post-2026 timeline. For the August 3 deadline this year, Lindor is expected to stay put, despite these same executives believing he’s eventually gone. He’s 32, under club control through the 2031 season, and has struggled a bit this year. We’re talking a .210 batting average, a .654 OPS, and a rough 0.4 bWAR across 41 games. Ouch.
Teams looking to land him will almost certainly have to cool their jets until after 2026. It’s not impossible for a summer deal, but the signs are pointing hard towards a next offseason blockbuster, if it happens. So, get ready for a lot of talk about what could be.
So, while we might see other moves before the August 3 deadline, the big Lindor decision looks like it’s getting punted until the offseason. We’ll be glued to our screens, waiting to see what the Mets actually do with the rest of their roster in the coming weeks and then, the big one, how this Lindor saga unfolds once the 2026 season is truly over. The waiting game is on, folks!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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