Francisco Lindor a Fit for the Boston Red Sox?

[notin]

33 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Bruml and others have said that once a player reaches AAA, they are ready for MLB. They see AAA as MLB depth and not for further development. 

I agree.  AAA rosters are largely holding spots for players 27-40.  
 

If Arias is right there, I think it negates going all in on Neto…

[Hugh2]

18 minutes ago, notin said:

I agree.  AAA rosters are largely holding spots for players 27-40.  
 

If Arias is right there, I think it negates going all in on Neto…

I don't think it negates going all in on Neto (or another SS) at all, if they're going after someone LIKE Neto it's a move not just for this year but going forward as well and up the middle has a lot of question marks.  

If they make a big move, SS is a leading candidate to make that upgrade, perhaps LF/DH/C is right there too. 

[notin]

13 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

I don't think it negates going all in on Neto (or another SS) at all, if they're going after someone LIKE Neto it's a move not just for this year but going forward as well and up the middle has a lot of question marks.  

If they make a big move, SS is a leading candidate to make that upgrade, perhaps LF/DH/C is right there too. 

LF is an option, although they might stick with the Duran/Jones platoon.

SS - Certainly being rumored, but we do have 4 SSs in house, with 3 on the IL and one now in AAA.  If they didn’t get one, I would understand.

C - It is rare to see catchers moved at the deadline, since our staff is used to Narvaez and Wong.

DH is an option.  Even if Yoshida stays hot, a RHH option makes sense. (Ty France?)

2b is another option, especially if Mayer gets moved in another deal.  If they get a SS, that does leave Arias/Story/IKF on the table…

[Randy Red Sox]

On 7/23/2026 at 8:37 AM, JoeBrady said:

I see no reason to fear a quick decline by Lindor any more than Bregman, Alonso, Schwarber, etc.  In fact, imho, Lindor will out-perform them.

and what do you do with Arias when he arrives or if Mayer EVER gets back on the field. We need to move off of Story as soon as possible but there is almost ZERO chance of Henry allowing a contract that Lindor has on the payroll. I don't even disagree with him on that.

[Randy Red Sox]

On 7/22/2026 at 6:22 AM, notin said:

Probably better off with Story.

Lindor has 5 years left…

 

On 7/22/2026 at 11:29 AM, moonslav59 said:

We said the same about Story, and he was younger when we got him and after his first IL stint. (Story was worth 15fWAR & 20 bWAR over the 4 seasons before we signed him and his first season with us was at age 29!)

Look, I like Lindor. I'd guess he'll be fine for a year or two, okay for another year or two and be seen as underwater for maybe a year or two.

TBH, I'd take him at $20M x 5 and hope he doesn't comeback to haunt us like Story did, but then give up talent for that? I'm not high on Mayer but Mayer for Lindor and $60M seems VERY risky. I'd give Campbell for Lindor and $50M. I'd give Bello for Lindor and $50M.

campbell is worth next to nothing on the trade market.  nothing but a thrown in to get off his contract

 

[Hugh2]

11 minutes ago, notin said:

LF is an option, although they might stick with the Duran/Jones platoon.

SS - Certainly being rumored, but we do have 4 SSs in house, with 3 on the IL and one now in AAA.  If they didn’t get one, I would understand.

C - It is rare to see catchers moved at the deadline, since our staff is used to Narvaez and Wong.

DH is an option.  Even if Yoshida stays hot, a RHH option makes sense. (Ty France?)

2b is another option, especially if Mayer gets moved in another deal.  If they get a SS, that does leave Arias/Story/IKF on the table…

Four Short Stops in house? 

Story injured - has had one decent year in the past 1/2 decade

Mayer - Injured, and always injured. 

We don't have a timeline for either of those guys.  Are the two bench bats the other two shorts stops you're refering too? Having a body doesn't mean a hole is filled. 

I consider 2B and SS analogous because they can move and any trade will have 2027 in mind as well IMO. 

[moonslav59]

52 minutes ago, notin said:

If Arias is right there, I think it negates going all in on Neto…

I disagree, although just trading for a 2Bman would be cheaper than trading for Neto and playing Arias or Neto at 2B. If we can get Neto at a reasonable overpay cost, I'd prefer him to rentals like B Lowe or Torrres.

I'm biased. I have been disgusted by what I call our "circus carrousel at 2B" for over a decade.

A rental add at 2B does not make me happy, unless the cost is something like Cespedes, Bleis + Uberstine. (Who do we get for that paltry offer?)

[moonslav59]

13 minutes ago, Randy Red Sox said:

campbell is worth next to nothing on the trade market.  nothing but a thrown in to get off his contract

Yes, that was my thought. The thing about KC vs Story is that the Mets probably prefer him over Story, and the money owed is more spread out and back-end loaded, which GMs like.

(Same with Bello, who has more value than KC, but is also owed a higher AAV, and remember, the AAV is readjusted after a trade.)

[Randy Red Sox]

Just now, moonslav59 said:

Yes, that was my thought. The thing about KC vs Story is that the Mets probably prefer him over Story, and the money owed is more spread out and back-end loaded, which GMs like.

(Same with Bello, who has more value than KC, but is also owed a higher AAV, and remember, the AAV is readjusted after a trade.)

as long as we are using Sandal as depth i am not moving Bello

[moonslav59]

12 minutes ago, Randy Red Sox said:

as long as we are using Sandal as depth i am not moving Bello

I'd trade Bello in a heartbeat.

I pretty much agree with BTV's -$22.9M value. I certainly see him as negative value.

I'm not against trading Bello for Lindor and then getting Lugo.

Bello was given $24M value- $48M salary.

Lugo is $13M value -$30M owed, but that is $13M value over 1.4 years. Bello's is $24M/3.4 years. They look about even, but Lugo helps us in 2026 and 2027, while Bello may never help us again.

[Randy Red Sox]

38 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I'd trade Bello in a heartbeat.

I pretty much agree with BTV's -$22.9M value. I certainly see him as negative value.

I'm not against trading Bello for Lindor and then getting Lugo.

Bello was given $24M value- $48M salary.

Lugo is $13M value -$30M owed, but that is $13M value over 1.4 years. Bello's is $24M/3.4 years. They look about even, but Lugo helps us in 2026 and 2027, while Bello may never help us again.

i am not super high on Bello any more but if had started game 2 the other day our win streak might still be going.  I have ZERO faith in Sandavol to he proves otherwise and adding the contract of Lindor is pretty much impossible and i think you know that Moon. We have too many other SS options to even consider that IMO.

[notin]

1 hour ago, Hugh2 said:

Four Short Stops in house? 

Story injured - has had one decent year in the past 1/2 decade

Mayer - Injured, and always injured. 

We don't have a timeline for either of those guys.  Are the two bench bats the other two shorts stops you're refering too? Having a body doesn't mean a hole is filled. 

I consider 2B and SS analogous because they can move and any trade will have 2027 in mind as well IMO. 

Maybe we don’t have a timeline.  That doesn’t mean the Sox don’t have one.

Don’t you think the health of any of these 4 could be a factor in whether or not they plan to upgrade at SS?

And of the 4 (Story, Mayer, IKF, Arias), only Arias has never had a starting role as a SS in MLB…

[mvp 78]

48 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I'd trade Bello in a heartbeat.

 

Sox need his innings this year. Maybe can deal him in the offseason. 

[notin]

14 minutes ago, Randy Red Sox said:

i am not super high on Bello any more but if had started game 2 the other day our win streak might still be going.  I have ZERO faith in Sandavol to he proves otherwise and adding the contract of Lindor is pretty much impossible and i think you know that Moon. We have too many other SS options to even consider that IMO.

Certainly cannot prove otherwise, but the Orioles before Wednesday night had absolutely pummeled Bello this year, especially in the first…

[Hugh2]

16 minutes ago, notin said:

Maybe we don’t have a timeline.  That doesn’t mean the Sox don’t have one.

Don’t you think the health of any of these 4 could be a factor in whether or not they plan to upgrade at SS?

And of the 4 (Story, Mayer, IKF, Arias), only Arias has never had a starting role as a SS in MLB…

They don't have 4.  They have two and a couple bench/utility guys.  Your two are both injured and one you might ever be able to rely on again.  You NEED 1 SS/2B guy. 

[notin]

2 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

They don't have 4.  They have two and a couple bench/utility guys.  Your two are both injured and one you might ever be able to rely on again.  You NEED 1 SS/2B guy. 

So is Mayer a utility guy in your opinion?

[Hugh2]

4 minutes ago, notin said:

So is Mayer a utility guy in your opinion?

I'm sorry, after Mayer and Story who is a MLB starting SS? IKF? Andruw Monasterio? Cheng?  Which one of those guys are you referring to as a MLB quality every day player here in Boston for 2026 and beyond?

[vegasbob]

5 minutes ago, notin said:

So is Mayer a utility guy in your opinion?

Based on his hitting  to date, i would say Mayer is a glove first utility player.  How is he much different than Gonzalez, Cheng, Seigler , except that at 23 he may have much more development to come ala Cedanne Rafael.    Marcello may need 2 full MLB seasons to determine his actual production vs potential.  His advantage over other utility guys is that he is 23 and has the time to mature.

[notin]

2 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

I'm sorry, after Mayer and Story who is a MLB starting SS? IKF? Andruw Monasterio? Cheng?  Which one of those guys are you referring to as a MLB quality every day player here in Boston for 2026 and beyond?

Once again, the 4 I was referring to were Story, Mayer, IKF and Arias.  Even though they were not named in the original post, I did say 3 were on the IL.

You might not like IKF as a starter, but he has spent most of his career as one.

And why not Arias? At 20 years old with 320 AA plate appearances to his credit, he is in the exact same position Devers was in in 2018, but Arias’ OPS is about 50 points higher than Devers’ was…

[vegasbob]

I have almost no concerns about the existence of Trevor Story .  He will not be a near term factor on the field for  Boston until September and probably should be told, Trevor we need you at 2B .

I stick with the fact that 2027 will be a bastardized short season and Story's contract , along with Yoshida's, will be affordable to just DFA them, if not involved in a winter trade.  But no club is going to take an expiring contract from a marginal player until 2027 CBA is signed and predictable..

So don't lose sleep over Story.   If the Sox do reach the playoffs , maybe a veteran around might be helpful, if he can actually play at all.

[notin]

2 minutes ago, vegasbob said:

Based on his hitting  to date, i would say Mayer is a glove first utility player.  How is he much different than Gonzalez, Cheng, Seigler , except that at 23 he may have much more development to come ala Cedanne Rafael.    Marcello may need 2 full MLB seasons to determine his actual production vs potential.  His advantage over other utility guys is that he is 23 and has the time to mature.

It’s far too early in Mayer’s career to call him a utility player.   That’s like saying when Mike Trout came up and posted a .672 OPS, he was a 4th outfielder…

[Hugh2]

5 minutes ago, notin said:

Once again, the 4 I was referring to were Story, Mayer, IKF and Arias.  Even though they were not named in the original post, I did say 3 were on the IL.

You might not like IKF as a starter, but he has spent most of his career as one.

And why not Arias? At 20 years old with 320 AA plate appearances to his credit, he is in the exact same position Devers was in in 2018, but Arias’ OPS is about 50 points higher than Devers’ was…

So, Trevor Story and IKF are people you'd seriously rely on right? that feels par for the course with how horrible this team has been the last few years.  A team looking to compete and get better should do much better than that. 

I like Arias, but when are we going to stop relying on young players so much.  Rememeber the big THREE????? Cambell/Mayer/Anthony it's a full two years later and between underperformance and injury those guys have given us basically nothing. 

YOu need a SS, Story/Mayer/whoever can battle it out for the other up the middle position. 

If Arias hits his way onto the team GOOD, it's a good problem to have.  If your other guy is Story/Mayer they're probably hurt and there is no log jam anyways.  

 

[Hugh2]

9 minutes ago, notin said:

Once again, the 4 I was referring to were Story, Mayer, IKF and Arias.  Even though they were not named in the original post, I did say 3 were on the IL.

You might not like IKF as a starter, but he has spent most of his career as one.

And why not Arias? At 20 years old with 320 AA plate appearances to his credit, he is in the exact same position Devers was in in 2018, but Arias’ OPS is about 50 points higher than Devers’ was…

Add, I don't think that sentence helps your argument at all.  None of those guys are striking fear into anyone.  EXcept maybe Arias in the Eastern league

[notin]

21 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

Add, I don't think that sentence helps your argument at all.  None of those guys are striking fear into anyone.  EXcept maybe Arias in the Eastern league

The Sox just went 20-3 with SS and 2b manned by Anthony Seigler, Tsung-Che Cheng and Andruw Monasterio.  I think the necessary levels of inspired fear might be lower than you think.  Or are Story, Mayer and even IKF downgrades from that illustrious trio?

Im not saying the Sox don’t need to add anyone, but I am and have been saying it wouldn’t surprise me if SS and 2b were both handled internally…

 

[Hugh2]

7 minutes ago, notin said:

You do realize the Sox just went 20-3 with SS and 2b manned by Anthony Seigler, Tsung-Che Cheng and Andruw Monasterio.  I think the necessary levels of inspired fear might be lower than you think.  Or are Story, Mayer and even IKF downgrades from that illustrious trio?

Im not saying the Sox don’t need to add anyone, but I am and have been saying it wouldn’t surprise me if SS and 2b were both handled internally…

 

Well start the duck boats and hand them 10 year contracts. I'm sorry, as Drew would say I'm being "condensending" but I think you know those guys are not long term starters.  Guys like that pop up all the time, and they either never last or their skills seriously decline when they're asked to move from the utility role to the full season starter role. 

You need to raise the bar on this team.  If Monasterio does it for you great....I'm trying to end our monopoly on last place. 

[Hugh2]

Even after getting red hot Sox bats went from worse to average.  The pitching carries the team, if they want a deep playoff run they HAVE to add offense. 

[notin]

Just now, Hugh2 said:

Well start the duck boats and hand them 10 year contracts. I'm sorry, as Drew would say I'm being "condensending" but I think you know those guys are not long term starters.  Guys like that pop up all the time, and they either never last or their skills seriously decline when they're asked to move from the utility role to the full season starter role. 

You need to raise the bar on this team.  If Monasterio does it for you great....I'm trying to end our monopoly on last place. 

I never said they were.  What I did say is that was working on some level and is now the baseline the Sox are now improving from.  
 

Whether or not you like Story, Mayer, IKF, etc. is immaterial.  The bottom line is thr Sox have a better handle on their timelines than they are letting us know and it is entirely possible they do not find any middle infield trades to their liking.  And if that is the case, will the Sox be improving the MI or not?

And yes, even IKF can be a step up from Seigler…

[notin]

2 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

Even after getting red hot Sox bats went from worse to average.  The pitching carries the team, if they want a deep playoff run they HAVE to add offense. 

Adding offense, yes.  Adding offense at 2b or SS? Thats but one way.  Adding offense by going from Seigler and Cheng to, say, Story and Mayer or Story and Arias?  Why doesn’t that work for you if an acquired bat plays somewhere else?

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I agree with those who think Lindor's contract excludes him as a deadline trade option for Boston.

When it comes to obtaining veteran players dumped on longterms, that's the overall approach we've seen from the front office all decade long --

What I don't get is WHO were the specific guys ownership meant when they recently leaked the Red Sox were willing to take on "big money"?

[notin]

2 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

I agree with those who think Lindor's contract excludes him as a deadline trade option for Boston.

When it comes to obtaining veteran players dumped on longterms, that's the overall approach we've seen from the front office all decade long --

What I don't get is WHO were the specific guys ownership meant when they recently leaked the Red Sox were willing to take on "big money"?

Nobody.  That was how they handled the PR of free agency without actually spending the money associated with free agency.

If they had saud “we’re not willing to take on money,” it would have been more accurate to date, but it also would have been received about as well as free globes at a Flat Earth convention…