Reds to drop “play-sleeping” status if trading for superstar Francisco Lindor

The two big league baseball teams from Ohio made a very bizarre deal last summer when the Cleveland club sent Trevor Bauer a four-hour pitcher southwest to Interstate 71 on the team from Interstate 71.

Could there be another deal on the horizon – a much more painful trade?

This rumor seems to suggest that this is certainly possible, and this would make the state’s southernmost team a very legitimate playoff threat.

Even though it just seems clear that Cleveland is considering negotiating with Francisco Lindor – it’s always a franchise he could possibly want in a superstar, both on and off the pitch – rumors of a trade are not going away. Cleveland’s owner, Paul Dolan, has long said, essentially, that Lindor will not stay in Ohio – well, in northern Ohio, at least – in the long run. He is expected to make about $ 17 million in arbitration for the 2020 season, and then has an additional year of arbitration eligibility and is ready to become a free agent after the 2021 season.

MORE: Why Lindor Trading Would Be Annoying for Cleveland

Cleveland is not expanding the market and that would be needed to keep Lindor in town for the next decade.

The front office loves the long-term extensions that players get through their years of arbitration and a year or two of free agency, often with multiple club options for those years. The club takes a small risk with these deals if a player fails to continue to grow as expected, but in most cases – because the Indians are careful to deliver them only to certain players – the club unwinds, gaining great value and production for wages. Recent examples are Corey Kluber, Jose Ramirez, Carlos Carrasco and Roberto Perez.

But Lindor is just two years away from free agency. It has avoided long-term expansions with the club. It’s not because he wants out, necessarily, but because he wants to be paid his fair market value. She rolled the dice and paid off.

So Cleveland will probably block it and the sooner they trade it, the bigger the returning player. If in doubt, the front office only has to look at Boston and the situation the Red Sox has with Mookie Betts, a similarly ideal superstar that is a year closer to free agency. Although Boston is a huge market and certainly has the money to spend, the Sox seem to be intent on blocking Betts, though most reports suggest that the return will not be great, as it will only be in his new outfit for a The year was due to a salary of about $ 27 million.

MORE: Sporting News’ MLB All-Decade team

But for two years since Lindor – he had 4.6 bWAR in his 99-game rookie campaign and averaged 6.0 bwar in his four full seasons – the teams are interested. The Dodgers have been rejected by virtually every player without a hit so far this offseason, and it was the team that is most connected to Lindor. The Padres also mentioned interest. Both of these teams have new, controlled players who will seek Cleveland’s return.

But let’s talk about Cincinnati.

As we wrote earlier this week, after a year of smart additions, the Reds are already a wise choice as a team of surprise playoffs. Rotating them may be the best in the class.

His third king (Eugenio Suarez) and second baseman (Mike Moustakas) combined for 84 domestic flights last year (Moustakas hit 35 for brewers in 2019). And if you think Joey Votto will bounce back with a typical Votto-esque era – the Reds certainly believe – then that composition could be strong. Add Lindor to this group shortly? The best infield in the division, and up there with the best in the league.

The outfield needs work, especially if central striker Nick Senzel – the second round of the MLS Round 2 of 2016 – is at the heart of the Lindor deal. Many reports say Cleveland is excited about Senzel, who had a bad pioneering campaign in 2019.

But, yes. If Cincinnati adds Lindor to an already solid team of champions, the time to buy low reds will be a long one.

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