The rumor mill is beginning to swirl Monday afternoon, and one superstar’s name we could hear thrown around a lot over the next week is Francisco Lindor. The freshly turned 26-year-old shortstop has been one of the best players in the game for years now and is still under team control for two more seasons.
With the Indians looking to replenish their farm system and already under the impression that they will not be able to re-sign Lindor, the longer they hold on, the less value they will receive. It seems apparent they will at least attempt to cash in this offseason, but potential suitors are going to have to meet their asking price, which presumes to be gaudy.
One of the few teams that have the prospect capital to make a deal work is the Atlanta Braves, and they have an obvious starting point – Dansby Swanson. Swanson looked to be turning a corner in his third full major league season before a heel injury kept him out for over a month, and he wasn’t the same guy when he returned. That is, until the playoffs when Swanson was the Braves’ best hitter.
Despite a slow start to the former #1 overall pick’s career, there’s a belief he’s going to be a really good player, possibly even an All-Star caliber shortstop. However, he is no Francisco Lindor, who has been to four-straight All-Star games and finished in the top 15 for MVP voting in each of those seasons. This is the kind of talent worth taking a leap for, especially if your championship window is only beginning like the Braves.
Of course, it would take much more than just Dansby Swanson to complete a deal, but he should pique the Indians’ interest enough to get the conversation started. Then Cleveland would turn their focus to top outfield prospects Cristian Pache and Drew Waters before feasting on some young arms to finish a potential trade. But right now, all of this is hypothetical, as Jon Morosi of the MLB Network reported that the Braves and Indians have yet to discuss a trade for Lindor at length.
Source: #Braves, #Indians have not discussed Francisco Lindor in trade talks to any substantive extent. This is noteworthy, as Atlanta is one of a handful of teams with the prospects to satisfy Cleveland’s high asking price. @MLBNetwork @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 9, 2019
This could mean absolutely nothing. Alex Anthopoulos rarely leaks anything before a deal is 100% complete, and often he acts like a snake lying in the grass. But it is kind of odd that this is even news, which could suggest a deal at any point is highly unlikely. One thing that is for sure, however, is it is always difficult to predict what the Indians are thinking.
We will keep you posted on each rumor that surfaces as the Winter Meetings continue.