Could the Blue Jays make a move for Indians superstar Francisco Lindor?

The Toronto Blue Jays could definitely use an established impact addition to their roster. After making the playoffs in 2020, they will look to build on that success, which means they will take a gander at a whole host of names that may not have been reasonable options to sign in Toronto in the past. GM Ross Atkins said as much when he talked about adding an impact player earlier this month. In fact, his comments turned attention to Francisco Lindor:

“Usually (high impact) players come in the middle of the diamond. Not in all cases, but those types of players that are really, really high impact often times are playing shortstop, often times are playing centre field.”

Sure, he could have been talking about an upgrade in the outfield, and that would not be unwelcome. But, with Randal Grichuk as the "for now" option until Austin Martin presumably takes the job, the infield is the most likely area for an upgrade.

Lindor is someone the Blue Jays front office is very familiar with given their time in Cleveland, if you put much stock in that sort of thing. One has to wonder if that even matters when it comes to a player of Lindor’s caliber.

There isn’t much point dwelling on whether he would be a major addition to this roster. He would be for any team. If we allow ourselves to dream a bit, imagine what an infield consisting of Lindor, Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.would look like. That has to be awfully tempting if you’re the Blue Jays front office. Think about the offensive production.

Of course, for this to happen there are issues that need to be addressed. First, could Bichette be moved to another position? He’s at least open to it.

“I would say that I’ve worked really hard at that position and it would be definitely disappointing if I had to move off, but at the same time if there was someone that’s a huge upgrade and could help us win a championship it’s something I wouldn’t get in the way of,” he said.

If Lindor isn’t the kind of player to which Bo refers, then there may not be one out there. How much stock the club puts into comments made by a 22-year-old who has 75 career games is anyone’s guess. 

Where would Toronto move Bichette? The story has always been that he was not likely to stick at short his whole career with a move to second thought to be inevitable. He could be moved to third, but there is a lack of clarity as to whether his arm strength is ideal for that move. A move to second could push Biggio to third, but his arm strength is not much better. That said, either could likely handle the position until Jordan Groshans is ready, who could be the third baseman of the future. Either way, this is a good problem to have.

The real concern comes from whether Toronto should trade for Lindor. He has one year remaining before he becomes a free agent and will cost $19.5M. The Blue Jays could definitely afford that if they had to. It would help keep the cost down on whatever prospect capital they give up. The team has money, but the Jays also have a farm system that could handle such a deal, even if it is for a one-year rental. That is what Lindor would be as there is no guarantee beyond that one year.

The real issue is whether this team is in a position to bring in a one-year rental. Do the Blue Jays feel that this kind of addition will put them over the top? If not, they may pass on this opportunity. One possibility is to get him for a year, take a gamble and extend a qualifying offer at season’s end. Of course, there is also a possibility of working out some kind of extension as part of the deal. That would definitely end up costing top dollar, but with the addition of Hyun Jin Ryu, the front office has signaled that it is at least willing to consider spending big. Could the front office familiarity convince Lindor to join a young, exciting team?

The offseason is always a time of speculation and rumors. It is difficult to guess what is a real possibility and what is just pipe dreaming to avoid thinking about a long, cold winter. The idea of adding of Lindor falls somewhere in the middle. It could happen — the situation is favorable to allow for it to happen — but how likely is it? That part is difficult to say.