The New York Mets traded for Francisco Lindor before the 2021 season, and the Mets thought that had the infielder that they could build a contender around.  That might be the case in 2025, but in 2021, it looked like a colossal mistake.

Lindor, who signed a ten-year, $341 million extension, started off slow and was even booed by the Mets faithful.  He rebounded, finishing with 20 Home Runs, but the slow start had New York fans thinking it was another case of a large contract gone bad.  Since that time, Lindor had returned to MVP form. 

Lindor’s bat improved in 2022, smacking 26 Home Runs with 107 RBI, and he moved the HR numbers back over 30 in 2023 with 31.  Finishing 9th in MVP voting in both 2022 and 2023, Lindor exploded last year as the runner-up to the National League MVP (33 HR, 169 G, 29 SB, .844 OPS) and piloted New York to the NLCS.

Lindor is now over 30, and enters 2025 on the most loaded Mets team of his career.  He also has an outstanding three-year All-MLB Team 2 streak.

A World Series with Lindor leading the way will justify that big money.

As of this writing, Puerto Rican Shortstop Francisco Lindor has played six seasons with the Cleveland Indians, which is the only team he has ever played for at the Major League level.