Late Wednesday evening, Francisco Lindor got paid. After a brief public negotiation, the New York Mets and their newly acquired star shortstop finally circled in on a ten year, $341 million dollar contract extension that will keep him in Queens through 2032. The Lindor deal tops the Fernando Tatís Jr. 14-year $340 million dollar extension from San Diego in terms of total guaranteed dollars and makes him the eighth player in league history to sign for $300 million or more (joining Mike Trout, Tatís, Gerrit Cole, Mookie Betts, Bryce Harper, Giancarlo Stanton and Manny Machado).
Lindor, one of the most popular figures in the league since breaking onto the scene in 2015, was considered by many to be the headliner of a historic shortstop free class including Trevor Story, Javier Báez, Corey Seager and Carlos Correa before the extension. Not by much, however.
He has been incredibly durable to this point in his career and his power, speed, defense and on-base skills all rank at or near the top of the elite tier of potential free agent shortstops. The appeal of his overall abilities has led many to believe he would sign the largest contract of the group and it’s not far-fetched to think his recent extension could still end up being the high-water mark. That part remains to be seen, but for now it at least gives the rest of the group a number to shoot for.
Having Lindor off the market frees up the rest of the class to shine even brighter and could benefit Story the most. His durability and overall package of power, speed, defense and on-base skills now show off best in the group as Lindor’s did before. Here’s how their career numbers compare according to Baseball-Reference:
Story vs. Lindor Career Numbers
| Stat | Trevor Story | Francisco Lindor |
|---|---|---|
| Stat | Trevor Story | Francisco Lindor |
| OBP | .343 | .346 |
| BB% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| HR | 134 | 138 |
| SB | 80 | 99 |
| SB% | 76% | 79% |
| DRS | 56 | 38 |
| OPS+ | 114 | 117 |
Both have played in 90% of their team’s games aside from their rookie seasons, and the overall numbers are similar in many respects with Story appearing more favorable defensively and Lindor as a more aggressive base-stealer. The two already appeared to be arguably the most sturdy, well-rounded players of the class and with Lindor no longer available Story seems to now hold that title all by himself.
One aspect that makes the Lindor situation unique is the motivation by the Mets to lock him up. Having traded for him in the off-season, the Mets obtained exclusive negotiation rights with the shortstop and seemed determined to make him the long-term face of the franchise.
There is a non-zero-percent chance that Story and the Rockies could be motivated to reach an agreement on an extension too. Anything can happen, after all. However, the news surrounding that topic up to this point has not been promising for Rockies fans. And after the Nolan Arenado debacle, it’s hard to see the motivation to get a deal done from the perspective of Story’s camp as well.
But, he’s a Colorado Rockies hitter. He’s played half of his games at Coors Field and despite how deluded the national perception may be, he is going to have that “Coors product” stigma to shake and a disproportionate home/road split to be dissected by potential suitors. There is something to be said for taking the safe bet, however, and if the Rockies were to approach Story with a similar offer to what Lindor just signed he could elect to forgo the scrutiny of the open market and take the deal.
Still, with Lindor now off the board Story can easily be seen by many teams as the biggest fish in the upcoming free agent pond. Not every team will be knocking at his door as some organizations such as the Mets, Padres and Red Sox seem currently set at the position. Others like the Rays, Royals and Pirates either have highly touted shortstop prospects on the horizon or don’t tend to play at the high-stakes free agency tables anyways.
However a contending team like the Yankees or Angels looking to land a big prize to put them over the top is conceivable. A team losing their star shortstop like the Dodgers or Astros could view Story as an upgrade and make a perfect suitor as well. Or maybe teams such as the Giants or Rangers will decide to flash their wallets in hopes of landing the next face of their franchise.
The Lindor and Tatís Jr. extensions have provided a baseline for what Story and his camp will be shooting for, and with Lindor locked up in New York, the chances of Story becoming the most sought-after shortstop of the upcoming class just became stronger. Once the team dedicated to landing him with the same motivation the Mets had with Lindor becomes revealed, Trevor Story will be a very happy, very well-compensated shortstop.
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Rockies Twitterverse mourns loss of friend they never met | 9news
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Hello! My name is Kenneth Weber and I am one of the newest additions to the Purple Row team. Born and raised in Denver, I have been a Rockies fan my entire life and am incredibly excited about the opportunity to write about my hometown team. Baseball is one of my biggest passions and has been a presences throughout my life. I’ve played the game every spring and summer throughout my life, pitched in college in Sterling, Colorado, continue to play to this day in the NABA men’s league circuit and coach at the high school level at my alma mater Thomas Jefferson High School. If you love baseball and the Colorado Rockies, or even just like either one a little bit, then I hope you’ll enjoy my work!
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