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Francisco Lindor presents a considerable obstacle for the Los Angeles Dodgers in their quest for a World Series championship. The New York Mets star has delivered exceptional performances all season long. Dodgers President Andrew Friedman recently expressed a desire to have Lindor join the team in Dodger blue.
“Just thinking about how different the world would look,” Friedman remarked a day before Lindor’s leadoff home run ignited the Mets in a 7-3 win over the Dodgers in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series.
Andrew Friedman almost landing Francisco Lindor for the New York Mets
During the winter following the 2019 season, Friedman sought free agents and rival executives to find a star who could help break the team's championship drought. He ultimately finalized a trade with Boston Red Sox for Mookie Betts. However, in a different scenario, Friedman could have secured a deal with Cleveland for Lindor.
“We engaged quite a bit,” said the Dodgers president via the The Athletic's Andy McCullough. “Had some traction here and there. I wouldn’t say it was anything that was close. But he was definitely on our target list of guys.”
During the trade talks, the Dodgers had Corey Seager on their roster, which meant they would have needed to move some other pieces to finalize a deal. However, they were still viewed as the frontrunners to land him.
Nonetheless, the idea continued to fascinate Friedman. Acquiring Betts marked the pinnacle of a lengthy pursuit. After the 2017 season, when the Dodgers traded Adrián González, Brandon McCarthy, and Scott Kazmir to the Atlanta Braves, Friedman characterized the move as “a little more subtle than most.”
He aimed to reset the team's luxury tax figure and eliminate penalties while also creating space in the payroll for a player commanding a $30 million salary.
Lindor prospering with New York
The Mets have no regrets about trading for him from the Cleveland Guardians after the 2020 season and committing to a 10-year, $341 million contract for the switch-hitter.
At that time, Lindor provided significantly more value than Betts since he remained under contract through 2021, while Betts was set to hit free agency in 2022. Additionally, Lindor’s performance was impressive; from 2017 to 2019, he averaged 34 home runs per season.
The Mets star has consistently performed at a high level throughout the year. David Stearns, the Mets president, noted that “he excels at every aspect of the game,” and he’s completely accurate.
After the Dodgers pushed the Mets 11 games below .500 at Citi Field, the outlook became bleak. Nonetheless, Lindor rose to the occasion as a leader, leading by example and steering the team into the NLDS.
The Dodgers – Mets series all knotted up
In recent weeks, the New York Mets battled their way into the postseason NLCS. The path was challenging, but Francisco Lindor undeniably took the lead. He rose to the occasion when the team needed him most, demonstrating his readiness to make an impact despite having the stats to back him up.
However, in Game 2 against the Dodgers on Monday, Lindor opted for a dramatic flair with a courageous eight-pitch at-bat that concluded with a leadoff home run. With that swing, he broke the Dodgers' remarkable postseason scoreless streak.
Unfortunately for the record-setting pitching staff, Lindor made it clear that the New York Mets wouldn’t simply accept the humiliating 9-0 loss in Game 1. His homer established the tone for the Mets as they secured a 7-3 victory, evening the series at 1-1.
Furthermore, Lindor’s home run wasn’t just any homer; it marked the Mets’ first postseason leadoff blast since Curtis Granderson in 2015, showcasing the immense value he brings to the team.
