Radio hosts fan flames on improbable NY Mets-Padres trade involving Francisco Lindor

There are only three players on the New York Mets roster who feel protected. Nolan McLean made himself untouchable in trade talks. Juan Soto’s contract makes him a keeper. Francisco Lindor is the third. Or is he?

Over in San Diego, the hosts on 97.3 The Fanatic fanned the flames on a unique rumor about A.J. Preller having the desire to acquire Francisco Lindor from the Mets. Not only did they suggest the possibility of Lindor coming to the Padres, they added to the trade with the return.

Although maybe not complete, the trade proposal had star reliever Mason Miller coming to New York along with Xander Bogaerts and his albatross contract.

There are a lot of Mets-Padres trade possibilities, this isn’t the one we want

WFAN host Evan Roberts got wind of this and fired back with a trade proposal slanted extreme in the other direction and with the Padres’ most hated rival, the Los Angeles Dodgers. His deal has the Dodgers sending the Mets Andy Pages, Tyler Glasnow, and Freddie Freeman.

Unrealistic? The Mets solve three needs with the trade while only creating one opening in Roberts’ trade proposal. It’s way too good to ever happen while the one with the Padres is nonsensical in every way possible.

The mere idea of trading Lindor is extreme. But with the way David Stearns has taken a sledgehammer to the roster already, we should remain open to a stunner of some kind.

The Mets-Padres deal doesn’t work because the Mets would be unwise to take on the Bogaerts deal under any circumstance. Miller is a fantastic pitcher, but to do a one-for-one doesn’t make any sense. There needs to be a bad contract coming back to New York for the Padres to make this kind of a deal.

San Diego could deal away right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. to clear up salary space. They also have Nick Pivetta on a very reasonable contract with an opt out after this season. Adding Bogaerts, who’ll make $25.4 million in each of the next 8 seasons, is the exact opposite strategy the Mets are operating. The fact that he is performing nowhere near as well as Lindor is the obvious point as to why Stearns would throw up in his mouth if this was ever sent to him.

What’s a more realistic Mets-Padres trade?

I don’t see Lindor getting traded. I don’t think Tatis does either. If the Padres are cutting salary, it makes the most sense to flip Pivetta for a more affordable starting pitcher. We can start with David Peterson.

Ramon Laureano, at $6.5 million next year, would be a reasonable addition for the Mets as well. The Mets would have to include someone more affordable. A player such as Mark Vientos could fit the bill.

With this, the Padres cut out $17 million from their payroll ($27 million going to the Mets and only about $10 million coming back from the Mets). Add in Jason Adam, who is projected to make $6.5 million through arbitration, and the Padres are eliminating more salary and the Mets can reasonably give up another affordable young player or players. Let’s make it Dylan Ross and Brandon Sproat simply because they’ll want guys they can use as soon as next year and Adam is a really good reliever. It’s going to cost something even is a primary goal is to reduce some salary.

Trades involving loads of cash get complicated fast. The Padres want to win next year while also reducing salary. If they keep it simple, multiple trades might be the way to go.