Shortstop Francisco Lindor isn’t officially the New York Mets’ captain, nor was Lindor actively involved in recruiting superstar Juan Soto to leave the New York Yankees for the Amazins in free agency.
None of that stopped Lindor from contacting Soto after the All-Star outfielder and the Mets agreed to a 15-year, $765M contract that could exceed $800M this past weekend.
“I said, ‘Congratulations, my brother, enjoy,’“ Lindor said during a chat with MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo about his exchange with Soto. “‘This is fantastic for you, for your family. Have a moment for yourself, and then let’s get to work.’“
Soto responded: “Exactly. Let’s do it.”
Mets owner Steve Cohen ultimately submitted the best financial offer for Soto’s services, but multiple stories have suggested that the 26-year-old also likes that the Mets feel “like a family.” During the 2024 Mets’ summer resurgence, much was made about how the vibes inside the team’s clubhouse improved from what occurred behind the scenes during the 2023 season. Lindor seems to believe Soto will be a great fit for the organization.
“He’s a hard worker, someone that cares about his craft, someone that cares about his winning, someone that cares about his family, someone that cares about his teammates and somebody that wants to continue to get better. That’s the Mets,” Lindor said.. “It sounds like the Mets. It sounds like the culture I wanted to build, be a part of. I think he’s the right man for the job.”
While Cohen and Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns have understandably received praise for making the offseason’s biggest splash, they still have plenty of work to do to improve upon parts of a squad that fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers in this year’s National League Championship Series. For example, All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso and 2024 team ace Sean Manaea remained available free agents as of Wednesday afternoon.
“Next year’s team is going to be completely different,” Lindor acknowledged. “Once we get to spring training, we’re all going to talk about 2024, and then it’s, ‘Turn the page, focus on what you have in front of you.‘ I know [Soto] is a generational player, and he can help us win a lot of games. Hopefully, he’s part of the run and part of the journey of winning a World Series.“
Lindor turned 31 last month, so he and Soto should be cornerstones of championship-caliber squads for years as long as Cohen and Stearns continue to get more right than wrong regarding personnel decisions.