CLEVELAND — In what will likely mark the biggest trade of the MLB offseason, the Boston Red Sox have agreed to send All-Star outfielder Mookie Betts and pitcher David Price to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 3-way deal.
But while the Betts blockbuster will have a direct impact on the Dodgers' standing in the National League and the Red Sox' attempt to regain entry into the playoffs, it could also have implications for teams that weren't involved in the trade. In particular, the Cleveland Indians have likely gained some clarity regarding Francisco Lindor's future with the team.
Like Betts, Lindor has been the subject of trade rumors since the 2019 season came to an end. Unlike Betts, however, it appears -- now more than ever -- that the Indians' All-Star shortstop will be staying put in 2020.
While the Indians have remained steadfast in stating that Lindor will be their Opening Day shortstop this spring, the one team that always possessed the potential to change that has been the Dodgers. Between their sizable market, win-now approach and most importantly, a plethora of promising prospects, Los Angeles has always made for the most logical destination for Lindor if Cleveland was going to deal him.
And although the Dodgers still have enough top-end prospects left to potentially acquire Lindor, it's hard to view their acquisition of Betts as anything but a sign that the 26-year-old All-Star won't be heading west anytime soon.
"I know I want to be the shortstop of the Cleveland Indians," Lindor told 3News' Betsy Kling and Jay Crawford during an interview at the annual Tribe Fest event on Saturday. "I know the front office wants me to be the shortstop of the Cleveland Indians. Sometimes, it's a business. I can't control it. It is what it is."
Don't, however, expect Lindor's name to disappear from the rumor mill just yet.
While Lindor has stated publicly that he wants to remain in Cleveland, the reality of the Indians' financial track record suggests they won't be offering him the $300 million-plus megadeal he'll likely command. As a result, Cleveland could have to decide between trading their franchise player or losing him for little more than a compensatory pick when his contract expires following the 2021 season.
From that standpoint, the Betts' deal could provide a roadmap for the Indians to follow in the coming year.
Although the general consensus initially seemed to be that if the Indians don't trade Lindor by this summer's trade deadline, his value will be significantly diminished, the Red Sox' return for Betts says otherwise. In exchange for Betts and Price, Boston received 23-year-old outfielder Alex Verdugo, who ranked as the top prospect in the Dodgers' organization in 2018, as well as top 100 pitching prospect Brusdar Graterol (via the Minnesota Twins).
While Verdugo may not be as highly sought after as Los Angeles infielder Gavin Lux, who ranks as the No. 2 prospect in all of baseball, he's still the type of young, Major League-ready player one would expect to receive in return for a player as prominent as Betts. That the 2018 MVP is currently entering the final year of his contract didn't diminish his value to the point that Boston couldn't bring back a pair of promising young players.
Of course, no comparison in sports is truly apples to apples. While Betts might be a slightly more coveted talent than Lindor, Boston's inclusion of Price -- who is owed $96 million over the course of the next three years -- likely lessened the Red Sox' return. And although the Dodgers were thought to be the 2-time Silver Slugger's top suitor, the reality remains if -- or when -- Cleveland does deal Lindor, it likely won't be working with a team that possesses a farm system as rich as Los Angeles'.
So while Tuesday night's blockbuster may have brought some clarity to Cleveland's situation, there's still plenty that remains unknown. At this point, the only certainty appears to be that as long as he remains in an Indians uniform, the speculation regarding Lindor's future won't be slowing down.