The Francisco Lindor Trade Looks Better and Better for the Guardians

FOR MORE ON ANDRES GIMINEZ SIGNING CLICK HERE!!!

On Tuesday afternoon, Jeff Passan dropped a huge piece of news that will excite Guardians fans far and near; Andres Gimenez has been locked up long-term. The 24-year-old from Venezuela has put pen to paper on a new 7-year, $106.5 million with a club option for the 2031 season. The deal begins next year and moves past his three arbitration years, with the possibility of five years of free agency as well.

This is the second $100 million+ contract the Guardians have handed out in as many years, with Star third baseman Jose Ramirez signing a 7-year, $126 million contract in April of last year.

What do these two large contract extensions have in common? Well, two things. The first is that the Guardians front office has a strong belief in the team’s core and wants to lock it up for as long as they can and as soon as they can. As they should, the Guardians were extremely successful last year, bringing home the AL Central Pennant before falling to the Yankees in the ALDS. Secondly, this is the second extension that has been signed by the Guardians since the Francisco Lindor trade in 2021. After the past two seasons, it looks more and more like the Guardians absolutely won this trade.

First, a look back on the trade. The Guardians acquired Andres Gimenez, Amed Rosario and two other prospects, while the Mets acquired Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco.

Blockbuster.

In his first season with the Mets, Lindor played 125 games and slashed .230/.322/.412 with 16 doubles, three triples, 20 home runs and 161 RBI. A slightly disappointing season in 2021 was met with a better season in 2022, with Lindor playing 161 times, slashing .270/.339/.449 with 25 doubles, five triples, 26 home runs and 107 RBI.

The Guardians side of this trade, you may ask?

Well, Andres Gimenez in his first season in Cleveland struggled a little bit, playing 68 times at the big league level, slashing .218/.282/.351 with 10 doubles, zero triples, five home runs and 16 RBI. However, in 2022, Gimenez blew up. In his breakout year, Gimenez played 146 times, slashing .297/.371/.466 with 26 doubles, three triples, 17 home runs and 69 RBI, as well as making the AL All-Star Team.

Andres Gimenez’s success and subsequent all-star selection, as well as Amed Rosario, who was also a part of the trade, having a great season, batting .283/.312/.403 had already put the winner of this trade as the Guardians. With the front office and Mike Chernoff being able to retain not only Gimenez but Jose Ramirez to long-term deals, with the contracts combined being less than Lindor’s deal, there is no real question.

As if there was any doubt at all, the Cleveland Guardians definitely won this deal, folks.