How Does the Mookie Betts Megadeal Play into What's Coming for Indians SS Lindor?

Dodgers new superstar outfielder Mookie Betts hit the jackpot in Los Angeles this week, inking a deal that is worth a reported $365 million over 12 years. The deal for Betts bucks the trend of usual MLB thinking in this day and age, but it might signal what is coming for Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor once he reaches free agency after next season.

It’s official.

The Los Angeles Dodgers signed stellar outfielder Mookie Betts to a 12-year, $365 million-dollar contract. It will start next season and run through the 2032 campaign.

For anybody that is a fan of the Cleveland Indians and shortstop Francisco Lindor, well, this contract will certainly make one extremely nervous moving forward.

Lindor and the Indians agreed to a one-year, $17.5 million-dollar contract to avoid arbitration for this upcoming season.

The star is under the control of Cleveland through 2021 with one more year of arbitration before becoming an unrestricted free-agent in 2022.

Now, there is no way the Indians front office will ever sign Lindor to a contract that is anything like the one that Betts just signed with the Dodgers.

It is simply not feasible with the type of market in Cleveland and past history of the front office.

Thus, the Indians are listening to trade offers from other teams. Obviously, not accepting anything up to this point.

Last season, Lindor hit .284 with 32 HR and 74 RBI. Additionally, the shortstop has a stellar glove in the field.

The value is obviously there and many teams will have interest in a trade now and signing longterm to lock the star up. That is exactly what the Dodgers did when acquiring Betts from the Red Sox.

The biggest contract the Indians have ever dished out went to slugger Edwin Encarnacion for three-years and $60 million. Only $305 million dollars less of a commitment than the Betts deal.

Should Indians fans hope that Lindor gets traded?

If the return is massive, sure. This is because the front office will never fork out “Betts-type” of cash in a contract. Lindor will walk in free agency, or the Indians can get something back for the future.

This recent move by the Dodgers is simply proof. Lindor isn’t going to take a deal not around that type of length and money.

It won’t be from this franchise here in Cleveland. Sadly, it will not be the first or the last time fans see a player walk after being great in a Tribe uniform.