Mets: Three Francisco Lindor predictions for the 2021 season

The New York Mets arguably have landed the biggest splash of the offseason thus far with the acquisition of star shortstop Francisco Lindor. The elation from Mets fans surrounding our new prized shortstop is something we haven’t seen around this organization in years which makes the upcoming 2021 campaign all the more exciting.

The leadership qualities that Lindor brings both on the field and off the field in the clubhouse are highly regarded among his peers, which further solidifies that his play on the field is not the only attribute that will have the organization reaping the rewards of Lindor’s addition. The Mets have not had a dynamic player at the shortstop position since Jose Reyes was manning the position. Lindor brings the energy and swagger that Reyes brought during his time with the Mets but also can command a clubhouse of men similar to former Mets’ great David Wright.

What can the New York Mets expect from their new prized shortstop in 2021?

Now the real question becomes what are some realistic expectations to expect of Lindor this upcoming season? It’s certainly fair to expect greatness from Lindor after he inked a one-year $22.3 million contract, which is rightfully deserved as he is considered one of the top ten talents in the entire game of baseball. It’s also reasonable to expect Lindor to thrive under the pressure that has been placed on his shoulders as that is something he became accustomed to doing during his days in Cleveland.

The Mets have acquired a player who embraces the spotlight and there may not be a better fit for the bright lights in New York City than Lindor. With that being said let’s now take a look at three predictions for Lindor’s upcoming inaugural season in Queens.

Francisco Lindor wins a Gold Glove Award in 2021

The New York Mets have not had a Gold Glove Award winner since 2014 when outfielder Juan Lagares took home the prestigious award for his outstanding play in center field. Looking further back the Mets have not had a Gold Glove Award winner at shortstop since defensive wizard Rey Ordonez last won the award in 1999. In 2021 that narrative changes with Lindor as he ends the six-year drought and wins a Gold Glove Award in his first season in Queens.

Make no mistake about it, Lindor’s defensive pedigree is about as good as any in the game of baseball today. As a previous two-time Gold Glove Award recipient in 2016 and 2019, it’s reasonable to expect Lindor’s defensive prowess to translate to another award in 2021. Lindor also was the American League Platinum Glove Award winner back in 2016 which is also awarded by Rawlings for the best overall defensive player through a fan vote.

According to FanGraphs, since 2015 Lindor is second among shortstops in defensive WAR and third in runs prevented. Lindor also ranks fourth among defensive runs saved. These numbers further display that Lindor is still an elite defensive shortstop at the top of his game.

At the end of the day, the Mets have a shortstop that improves their overall defense up the middle with the amount of range that Lindor can cover on the diamond. All of these metrics also don’t take into account how Lindor makes not only routine plays look smooth and easy, but he makes the more difficult plays look all the more natural with his flashy glove. It will be a magnificent sight to watch all season long.

Francisco Lindor agrees to a contract extension by the end of Spring Training

When the New York Mets pulled the trigger on the trade with the Cleveland Indians for Francisco Lindor, the looming question that surrounded the organization next was whether the front office would be able to sign him long-term. The organization certainly has the funds to do so with a billionaire owner now in tow. With the front office also trading both Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez to Cleveland in the Lindor deal, they essentially have put themselves in a position to believe a deal can be worked out.

Lindor has already disclosed he will not negotiate a new contract during the regular season as his sole focus will be on playing baseball. The organization’s negotiating window is technically from the moment they acquired him on January 7th until Opening Day on April 1st.

Lindor and the Mets agreed to a one-year contract worth $22.3 million back on January 15th to avoid an arbitration hearing. But what makes the deal more interesting, other than going avoiding the arbitration process with their new star player, is the fact that they paid him slightly more than was widely expected. Many around baseball believed Lindor would receive a salary of around $20 million and some change, but with the Mets coming in higher, it could serve as a great negotiation tactic moving forward.

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Ultimately I don’t believe the Mets leave Lindor’s future hanging in the balance going into Opening Day. I believe a deal gets done by the end of Spring Training somewhere in the range of 8 years and around $250 million to keep Lindor in Queens.