Javier Baez joined the New York Mets at the trade deadline and despite getting off to a sluggish start, the infielder has started to prove his worth both at the plate and defensively.
However, he is one of many high-profile names who will hit Free Agency this winter and there have already been discussions as to how the Mets can sign Baez to an extension despite his hefty price tag. Well, it appears his good friend and infield partner Francisco Lindor is playing a key part in swaying New York to keep Baez around. Via Fansided's Robert Murray:
“Lindor, his closest friend and $341 million teammate, is pushing the Mets to re-sign Baez. He has the ear of owner Steve Cohen and might have enough sway to get Cohen to keep Báez in New York long-term, no matter the cost.”
There have been some negatives with Baez as well, most notably the thumbs-down gesture a few weeks back towards the fans. But, in 40 games with the Mets, he is hitting .305 with nine homers and has come through with some clutch hits, even though NY is out of the playoff picture at this point. The Puerto Rican is also slashing a mind-boggling .415 across his last 15 games.
As Murray noted, Baez is looking for something in the ballpark of $200 million, but given his impact on the Mets, it would be no surprise to see them fork out that type of money. He's a sparkplug on both sides of the ball and could be a huge piece for the future as they look to bounce back next season after an injury-riddled 2021.
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