Lindor, Mets in talks about new contract
Just more than two weeks before Opening Day, Francisco Lindor and the Mets have begun talking about keeping him in town beyond this season.
The newly acquired AllStar shortstop and the team have started discussing a longterm contract, he said Tuesday.
“I will not renegotiate during the season,” Lindor said after hitting his first home run this spring, connecting against Houston’s Jairo Solis during New York’s 83 win.
“I will go to free agency. If something carries on during the season, it’s not fair for me. It’s not fair for the team. I’ve got to give everything I’ve got into winning baseball games. So if it doesn’t happen in spring training, I’ll go to free agency. We’ll talk in November, December, whenever free agency starts,“he said.
As for now?
“Nothing serious,” Lindor said. “We’re just talking.”
The Mets obtained Lindor from Cleveland in January, and the 27yearold fourtime AllStar is signed for this season at $22.3 million.
One of the players Cleveland got for Lindor, shortstop Amed Rosario, had a rough day in his debut at a new spot.
Playing center field for the first time, Rosario made three errors — two drops, one wild throw — in a 178 loss against the Los Angeles Angels.
Shohei Ohtani hit his third home run in two days for the Angels and fourth of the spring, launching a shot that cleared the batter’s eye in center field off AL Cy Young winner Shane Bieber.
Highlights: Gerrit Cole made his third start for the Yankees, yielding two runs on three hits and a walk in 32⁄3 innings, striking out five, in a 74 win over the Tigers. Detroit’s Michael Fulmer struggled for the third straight start . ... Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 4for4 with two doubles and a triple, scoring three times in Toronto’s 145 win over the Phillies. Marcus Semien homered for Toronto. Philadelphia’s Aaron Nola was knocked around for the third straight time; his spring ERA is 10.38 . ... Chad Kuhl yielded two hits in three scoreless innings for Pittsburgh, striking out four, in a 42 win over the Twins . ... Felix Hernandez made his second start for Baltimore and pitched a scoreless innings before exiting because of discomfort in his right elbow in a 71 loss to the Rays.
Briefly: Texas outfielder Willie Calhoun (Benicia) likely will start the season on the injured list because of a lingering groin injury. Manager Chris Woodward also announced that righthander Kyle Gibson will make his first Opening Day start on April 1 at Kansas City . ... Toronto righthander Nate Pearson aggravated his strained right groin during a bullpen session, further decreasing the hardthrowing prospect’s chance of making the Opening Day roster . ... The Blue Jays picked up the option for manager Charlie Montoyo’s contract for 2022 . ... Infielder Maikel Franco and the Orioles finalized an $800,000, oneyear contract . ... LeBron James has become a partner in Fenway Sports Group, making the Los Angeles Lakers’ forward a part owner of the Boston Red Sox, the Boston Globe reported.