The Mets Need to Do Better By Francisco Lindor

Francisco Lindor's name has been swirling in trade rumors for weeks. The Mets' longest-tenured player deserves better treatment from the franchise as they plot their next move.

Jul 16, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) walks off the field after the 1st inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As the New York Mets declared themselves open for business, it has led to a lot of speculation about what form the team's trade deadline plans could take. The speculation hit a fever pitch on Friday when a report from SNY's Chelsea Janes revealed that opposing front offices have been told only five players are untouchable for the Mets: the starting outfield (Juan Soto, A.J. Ewing and Carson Benge) alongside starters Nolan McLean and Christian Scott.

One notable absence from that list is Francisco Lindor, the Mets' star shortstop and longest-tenured player. 2026 has been a lost year for Lindor, who entered Sunday's game in Philadelphia batting just .205 with five home runs and 12 RBI in 42 games after missing time due to a pair of significant injuries.

Sunday's game saw Lindor show signs of breaking out as he launched a two-run homer against the Phillies and drew two walks, showing his eye at the plate is getting sharper. Although Lindor has a no-trade clause and is a very valuable part of the organization, there have been plenty of think pieces about what a Lindor trade could do for the organization.

Francisco Lindor CRUSHES this baseball to the second deck 😮 pic.twitter.com/B7giHCHIAq

— MLB (@MLB) July 19, 2026

To be clear, the Mets shouldn't entertain trades for Lindor since it would be counterproductive to their goal of trying to win in 2027. This isn't a true fire sale like 2023's deadline either, since the Mets aren't paying down money to get rid of aging pitchers in exchange for better prospects, but rather exploring avenues to improve their chances to win in the prime years of Soto and Lindor.

Why the Mets need to publicly back Francisco Lindor

It was bad form for the Mets' front office to assume that their list of "untouchable" players wouldn't leak out in some form. Failing to include Lindor on that list is even worse since it creates unnecessary distractions for one of their two star players, which could explain some of Lindor's uncharacteristic mental mistakes.

With the Mets' stance of not wanting to pay down money on contracts going forward, combined with Lindor's no-trade clause, the odds of finding a team willing to part with premium talent worthy of Lindor's value and assume his entire deal are slim to none. Lindor has been one of the faces of this franchise for the better part of six years, and letting him twist in the wind like this is disrespectful.

David Stearns typically does media availability at the start of every homestand, and he should make it a point at his next press conference to indicate that Lindor isn't going anywhere. Besides offering a sign of strong public support for Lindor, it could help put an end to the endless questions about whether Lindor wants to waive his no-trade clause to leave the Mets.

Acting like Lindor isn't an important part of the Mets' future is silly, but that is the kind of speculation the Mets invited by letting their "untouchable" list leak without Lindor's name on it. Finding a way to rectify that mistake is imperative to show Lindor how important he is to the franchise and could lead to on-field benefits by helping him play more carefree without the burden of worrying about his future.