New York Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns addressed speculation surrounding a potential trade of shortstop Francisco Lindor ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline. Stearns met with the media prior to a homestand, stating that while he cannot rule out any specific player, the team views a group of young players, including potential future Hall of Famers, as their core.
Lindor, a five-time All-Star, is in the fifth year of a 10-year, $341 million contract. This season, he has struggled with injuries, appearing in 46 of the Mets' 103 games. His performance has been below his usual standards, with a batting average of .233, an on-base percentage of .315, and a slugging percentage of .398 for a .712 OPS. Defensively, he has also shown some shakiness.
"I’m not going to rule out or in any specific player on anything," Stearns said. "I don’t think that’s wise for me to do. What I will say is, we’ve got a group of young players and we’ve got some potential Hall of Famers, future Hall of Famers, that we view as our core. We expect them to be our core."
When pressed on whether Lindor is part of that core, Stearns declined to specify but reiterated that the team is focused on building for the future and aims to compete in 2027. He acknowledged that the team must make moves that are in the best interest of the organization, with the deadline approximately nine to 10 days away. "We have to be open-minded," Stearns stated. "I’ve been very clear, Steve’s been very clear, that we expect to compete in 2027. We have to keep that in mind."
Lindor himself has commented on the trade rumors, stating that external speculation does not bother him. "It doesn’t bother me when it’s coming from outside sources. When it’s more inside, that would bother me. But that’s not happening," he said. "I try to stay away from it. I try not to read it or really talk about it. It’s just an unnecessary distraction. But I am human. I have a family and they all talk and they all hear it. But since it’s not happening in here, it’s OK."
Stearns expressed disappointment in the team's current position as sellers but hopes that any deadline moves will improve the team's standing for the following year. The Mets are not contemplating a complete teardown, and any potential deal involving Lindor would need to bring back significant value. Lindor also possesses no-trade rights as a player with 10 years of service time and five consecutive years with his current team.