Mets now blockbuster contenders

Remember when owner Steve Cohen and President Sandy Alderson said the Mets were more than one player away and it could take years before they were serious title contenders? That was two months ago. Everything changed Thursday. The Mets acquired one of the top players in all of baseball, landing fourtime All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor, along with veteran starter Carlos Carrasco, while sending shortstops Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez, minor league pitcher Josh Wolf and outfielder Isaiah Greene to Cleveland.

Oh, the Mets still are engaged with free agent center fielder George Springer and free agent closer Liam Hendriks and have had recent trade talks with the Cubs for third basemanoutfielder Kris Bryant.

It’s the East Coast version of last year’s Dodgers’ trade when they tried to land Lindor, pivoted, traded for Mookie Betts, signed him to a record 12-year, $365 million contract before opening day, and watched him lead them to their first World Series championship since 1988.

Lindor is made for New York with his outgoing charisma and charm. He has won two Gold Glove awards, two Silver Slugger honors and ranks third in the majors since 2017 with 258 extra-base hits and 359 runs and ranks fifth with 592 hits to go along with 111 homers and 68 stolen bases.

Carrasco, 33, who led the American League with 18 wins in 2017, ranked seventh in 2020 with a 2.91 ERA in 12 starts, striking out 82 in 68 innings.

It has been five years since the Mets were in the playoffs and 35 years since they won the World Series. The Mets are for real, and awfully dangerous.