THIS DAY IN BÉISBOL January 7: Shortstop Francisco Lindor traded to Mets

The New York Mets traded for one of the best shortstops in the game on this day in béisbol, January 7, 2021, acquiring Francisco Lindor in a six-player deal with Cleveland.

Lindor, just 27 and due to hit free agency at the end of the 2021 season, instantly solidified a mostly home-grown core of young players that included slugging first baseman Pete Alonso, outfielders Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil and two-time Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom, and gave new deep-pockets owner Steve Cohen a franchise, five-tool player to build around.

A speedy, switch-hitting Gold Glover with 30-homer power, Lindor inked a 10-year, $341 million deal just before the start of the ’21 season, making the Puerto Rican native the highest paid shortstop in history.

The Mets, who shipped four players to Cleveland including infielders Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez, also received starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco in the deal.

Also on this day: In 2024, the Dodgers continued their quest to sign every good player on the planet, acquiring Teoscar Hernandez for one season at $23.5 million. The outfielder swatted 33 home runs with 99 RBI and helped lead Los Angeles to a World Series victory against the Yankees.

Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; LatinoBaseball.com illustration