While the off-season just started, the rumors have been hot for a while now. The rumors that the Indians would be looking to trade Francisco Lindor have been going on for a few off-seasons to this point and it has become more and more likely that he will be traded from Cleveland this off-season. Why should the Yankees pursue a potential Francisco Lindor trade?
ADDING A GOLD GLOVER
If you’ve watched the Yankees this year then you’d know how much we need a shortstop who can play defense. Lindor is a 2 time gold glover, once in 2016 and the other in 2019. The Yankees have struggled to find a good fielding shortstop ever since Jeter retired, and acquiring Lindor would certainly help that situation. Lindor in 2020 had a 5 OAA which was good enough for second in the entire MLB amongst shortstops, meanwhile Torres had a -4 OAA which was good enough for 37th in the MLB amongst shortstops. OAA isn’t the BEST stat to look at when determining who is a better fielder, but I just used it for comparative purposes.
ADDING A SWITCH HITTER
We all know the Yankees have been needing some left handed bats in the lineup and while Lindor isn’t fully a lefty, he is a switch hitter. With the short porch in right field, Lindor could really take advantage of it. You look how the porch has put LeMahieu on the map as a real star player, yes he was good in Colorado, but he has really made a huge name for himself with his ability to work the opposite field and use that porch. I bring up LeMahieu, because some people may say Lindor has had back to back down years. Of LeMahieu’s last two seasons in Colorado, his best was in 2017 when he slashed .310/.374/.409 with a 94 wRC+. LeMahieu also had 8 homeruns and 64 RBIs in 155 games. In just 50 games this season LeMahieu had 10 homeruns and 27 RBI. In LeMahieu’s first season with the Yankees his slash line improved, .327/.375/.518 along with a 136 wRC+. Lindor’s best season in the last 2 seasons, he owned a ..284/.335.518 slash line with a 114 wRC+. In 2020, Lindor owned a .258/.335/.415 slash line with a 100 wRC+. Now I compare these two to show how similar both LeMahieu and Lindor’s last two seasons compared before going to a different team.
POTENIAL LINDOR TO NYY SCENARIOS
I don’t think the Yankees want to part ways with Luke Voit as he’s under team control for 3 more years after the 2021 season. I think the only way the Yankees get Lindor is if LeMahieu doesn’t resign or if by any means, GM Brian Cashman wants to trade Torres. The only way the Yankees trade Torres, however, is if LeMahieu re-signs. Is a trade involving Torres going to happen? I HIGHLY doubt it. The price for Lindor will be BIG for the Yankees, not only because he is one of the best shortstops in all of baseball but also because the Yankees and Indians are both AL teams. I don’t know if the Indians want to trade their shortstop to another AL team. If Lindor is traded to the Yankees, I don’t see Frazier LeMahieu or Voit on the Yankees next year. Two scenarios I see are either LeMahieu not re-signing or LeMahieu being re-signed and playing 1B next year with Voit not in pinstripes next year. Whatever happens it should be fun to watch how it all plays out.
