​The New York Mets boast one of the premier shortstops in baseball in Francisco Lindor, but could that hold true as the 2026 MLB season nears its end? At the outset, there’s little reason to think it will change. When Lindor is healthy, he’s among the league’s elite at the position. In the most recent season, he posted a line of .267/.346/.466 with an .811 OPS, 31 home runs, 86 RBIs, and 31 stolen bases across 160 games. His performance translated to 5.8 Wins Above Replacement (WAR). The year prior, he produced a 6.8 WAR season. Moreover, Lindor isn’t slated to become a free agent until after the 2031 campaign, which should give the Mets long-term confidence in his value and presence on their roster. Given that, there’s little rational basis for the Mets to part ways with one of the game’s best shortstops.
Yet, chatter from the sports talk circuit has circulated online. Radio host Mike Francesca suggested the Mets might “try very, very hard to trade Lindor.” He argued that Cohen family dynamics and a recent financial decision—signing a player who earned more than Lindor and thereby “hit him right between the eyes”—could push the Mets toward considering a move. Francesca’s assertion was cautionary and did not reflect a consensus from the league’s insiders. In fact, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal pushed back against the speculation, calling it noise and emphasizing that Lindor’s status isn’t reflected in any credible reporting from beat writers. Rosenthal pointed out that Lindor’s grip on the shortstop position remains strong and that there’s no current indication the Mets intend to dispose of him.
The Mets’ current rough spell has elements tied to injuries, including to Lindor himself. But a poor season for him does not logically justify trading away a cornerstone player who has been among the game’s best at his position and under team control for several years yet. With Lindor’s health and production, the Mets stand to gain more by keeping him than by engaging in a high-profile trade that could unsettle their infield defense and leadership core. Unless a transformative offer lands on the table that dramatically improves the club’s long-term outlook, New York should continue to build around Lindor rather than trade him.
For Mets fans seeking context beyond Lindor’s status, there’s ongoing interest in how the team manages a challenging season overall. The question of whether Lindor will be traded remains speculative and largely unsupported by credible reporting. The prevailing sentiment among reporters who cover the Mets is that there’s no imminent move away from Lindor, especially given his production when healthy and his value through his prime years. As the team navigates a contract landscape that already includes a sizable commitment to other players, Lindor’s presence could prove essential to sustaining competitive performance in the near term and into the middle of the decade.
Do you have a take to share or a viewpoint you want to discuss with a growing Mets community? Join the conversation by commenting on our content alongside staff and fellow fans. And for more baseball coverage, there’s plenty to explore—from critique of awards snubs to analysis of standout performances in the league—so you can stay plugged into the latest conversations shaping the game.