One MLB insider thinks that Cleveland will not trade superstar Francisco Lindor in 2020. Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Bob Nightengale: Cleveland Indians won't trade SS Francisco Lindor this year

By Zac Wassink | Last updated Jun 9, 2020 7:08 PM ET

On Monday, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported on the latest proposal MLB owners have offered the MLB Players Association to begin the 2020 season amid the coronavirus pandemic, potentially as quickly as July 10.

As part of the plan that includes 76 regular-season games at 75-percent prorated pay, the playoffs could be expanded to seven or even eight teams per league for the fall tournament.

Such a large postseason field is one reason why USA Today's Bob Nightengale believes the Cleveland Indians will keep shortstop Francisco Lindor through this year even though the four-time All-Star is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2022.

Nightengale spoke about the situation during a Tuesday appearance on 92.3 The Fan's "Baskin & Phelps" program.

(The Lindor comments begin around the 11:00 mark.)

"As far as Lindor," Nightengale said, "this year, everybody has a chance to get to the World Series. If you have a 16-team (playoff), you've got to be terrible to not make the postseason. And anything can happen in the postseason.

"I also believe that, with what's happening now, and everybody's losing money, I can't see Lindor being traded until perhaps July of next year. Nobody is going to have the appetite to take on that kind of contract he's going to make, and only have him for one season.

"So if I'm the Indians, I keep him through at least July of next year, and see where they stand in the standings."

In January, the Indians and Lindor avoided arbitration and agreed to a one-year, $17.5 million deal. Cleveland's history with big-name to-be free agents suggests the club will look to sell him to the highest bidder before he's no longer arbitration-eligible unless winning the World Series is a realistic goal by late July 2021.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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