Mets Unlikely to Trade Francisco Lindor

Jul 17, 2026, 3:16 PM ET

There is a possibility that the New York Mets will trade All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor, but multiple executives across the industry told The Athletic's Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal that it's unlikely to happen. The Mets are in full-on sell mode to open up the second half of the 2026 season and are willing to listen to offers on nearly all of their players, including Lindor. But any team that shows interest in Lindor "would have to clear a high bar." Despite an injury-plagued and frustrating season to this point, New York still views Lindor as valuable, and at 32, he has the power to veto any trade. He's also owed more than $160 million after this season through 2031. The Mets think he can still be part of a winning team in 2027, which makes them unlikely to be interested in paying down his contract in a potential trade. A person close to the 32-year-old Puerto Rican said he is comfortable with the team and loves the city, and he wants to win with the Mets. In addition to hitting .210 (33-for-157) with only five home runs, 12 RBI, 22 runs, and two steals on the year, Lindor hasn't been as strong defensively at shortstop. Lindor could be showing some signs of a decline, but his buy-low window is firmly open, and he could easily turn things around in the second half if he's healthy.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal