Following weeks of negotiations, and days in which team officials believed a deal was unlikely, the Mets and Francisco Lindor agreed late Wednesday night to a 10-year, $341 million contract extension, according to a source. The deal, which the Mets have not confirmed because it is not yet official, is the richest ever for a shortstop, and the third largest in Major League history.
Lindor’s previous $22.3 million salary for 2021 remains unchanged, making the Mets’ total commitment to him $363.3 million over 11 seasons. He will be a Met until at least his 38th birthday.
The Mets acquired Lindor in January in a six-player trade with the Indians. The four-time All-Star is a career .285 hitter with 138 home runs, 99 stolen bases and two Gold Gloves over six seasons.
The deal nearly triples the largest previous financial commitment in franchise history, David Wright’s eight-year, $138 million contract signed before the 2013 season.
Mets owner Steve Cohen personally extended a 10-year, $325 million deal to Lindor over dinner in Florida last weekend. That was a counter to Lindor’s 12-year, $385 million asking price, from which Mets officials did not believe he would waver. The parties did not negotiate for about two days, until coming together again on Wednesday night.
The result was an extension that trails only Mike Trout and Mookie Betts in terms of total overall value.
MEDIA:
Highest paid MLB players in NYC:
Francisco Lindor: $341M
Giancarlo Stanton: $325M
Gerrit Cole: $324M— Brendan Kuty (@BrendanKutyNJ) April 1, 2021
Sweet dreams, Trevor Story, Corey Seager, Carlos Correa and Javy Baez, who go to bed knowing their free-agent stock just soared after Francisco Lindor's 10-year, $341 million extension with the #Mets, with @AnthonyDiComo first reporting the terms.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) April 1, 2021
Wish granted. https://t.co/qCNpUQ6UFn
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) April 1, 2021
LETS GOOO!!! #LFGM @Lindor12BC @Mets https://t.co/LDTFLjgE6n
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) April 1, 2021
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].