‘We’ll see,’ Lindor says of long-term Tribe deal

Enjoy Francisco Lindor in an Indians uniform while you can, because unless something stunning happens, the three-time AllStar shortstop will be playing in a different city in 2022.

Reporters covering spring training in Goodyear, Ariz., caught up with Lindor on Feb. 18. Their questions focused on two subjects – his rehab from a strained right calf muscle and his long-term plans after avoiding arbitration for 2019 by agreeing to a one-year, $10.55 million deal.

Lindor, 25, said he is not thinking about a long-term deal at this point of his career. Picked eighth overall by the Indians in the 2011 draft, Lindor is arbitration eligible in 2020 and 2021. He will become an unrestricted free agent in 2022. And then what?

“That’s not where we are right now,” Lindor said. “I was focused on arbitration.

“When it comes to long-term deals, I love the city of Cleveland. I love everything about Cleveland. I love messing with you guys. We’ll see. We’ll see what happens.”

The Indians do have something going for them — they’re good. They have won the American League Central Division three straight years and are expected to win again in 2019. Time will tell whether they will continue being contenders.

“At the end of the day, I’m playing the game to win,” Lindor said. “This is a good place where I can win, so we’ll see. If the Indians come up with the right numbers and at some point it happens — which, I’m not even thinking about it — we’ll see.”

Manny Machado, a free agent shortstop/third baseman, is reportedly mulling an offer of eight years for between $240 million and $280 million from the San Diego Padres. Historically, that would be too much for Indians ownership to match.

Machado, 26, started the season with the Baltimore Orioles and was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for five prospects on July 18 last summer because the Orioles knew they could not re-sign him. The Indians could be in the same situation with Lindor in 2021.

Here is how the numbers Lindor and Machado put up in 2018 compare:

Machado: 632 at-bats, 84 runs scored, 35 doubles, 37 home runs, 107 RBI, .297 batting average.

Lindor: 661 at-bats, 129 runs scored, 42 doubles, 38 home runs, 92 RBI, .277 batting average.

Lindor is upbeat about his health. He was injured

earlier this month preparing for spring training. The Indians on Feb. 8 announced Lindor would not be ready for baseball activities for another seven to nine weeks. Lindor sounds as though he expects to be back sooner.

“Every day so far has been successful,” Lindor said. “I’ve made an improvement on a daily basis, which is what I want.

I want to get better every single day. And at the end of the day I want to check the box and say, ‘It’s a successful day.’ So far it’s been like that. Thank the Lord.

“It’s funny with time frames — you never know. There are people that make it way before that and there are people that are not even close to it. To be honest, I just want to be focusing on what I’ve

got to do on a daily basis and if I come back in four weeks, you’ll be taking pictures out there. If I come back in nine weeks, you’ll still be taking pictures, so it doesn’t matter when I come back. As long as I come back and I can stay on the field on a daily basis to help my team win, that’s what matters.”

Lindor played 158 of 162 games last season.

ROSS D. FRANKLIN — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The Indians’ Francisco Lindor meets with reporters on Feb. 18 in Goodyear, Ariz.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE The Dodgers’ Manny Machado flips his bat in the air after striking out during the first inning against the Cardinals in St. Louis last season. Spring training has started, yet two of baseball’s biggest stars, Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, are sitting at home.