Cleveland Indians: When is the time to trade Francisco Lindor?

The Cleveland Indians may have Francisco Lindor under team control through 2021, but the Tribe may have to trade him before then.

The hope that usually follows Opening Day was quickly soured when ESPN’s Buster Olney threw out the idea of the Cleveland Indians eventually trading Francisco Lindor.

Coming off a trip to the World Series in 2016, the Indians tried to extend Lindor to a $100 million contract last spring, but were rebuffed. The front office said it would explore the extension again the following season.

But Game No. 1 of the 2018 season came and went, and Lindor hadn’t signed an extension.

Olney appeared on WKNR-850 AM and spoke about the current free-agent landscape, with so many players over 30 struggling to find lucrative, long-term deals.

While some younger players have signed extension to ensure financial stability, Olney revealed what people in baseball are saying about superstars such as Astros shortstop Carlos Correa, as well as Lindor. The talk is that they don’t need to sign a contract now, because they’re living in a different stratosphere. As long as they produce, they’re going to get the kind of astronomical deal that teams regularly gave away just three-to-four years ago.

With the Indians being a small-market team, Olney then gave us a reason to grab the Pepto-BIsmol a little too early for the 2018 campaign, via TheLandOnDemand.com.

"“I do think at the end of this year, the Indians, for the first time, will begin to have to make the assessment, ‘OK, if we can’t get Lindor to sign a deal, when is the right time to trade him.’ I don’t think it would be this winter, but I think they at least to start having that conversation…If the Indians come to believe they can’t sign Lindor, they have to start considering their options.”"

Lindor can’t be a free agent until after the 2021 season. He’ll be first-year arbitration eligible this offseason.Right now, he’s one of the best bargains in baseball, making $623,200 ,according to Sportrac.com.

Arbitration ensures Lindor will see a raise next season, whether it be from an arbitrator or because he and the Tribe agree on a one-year deal.

But what’s transpired between Manny Machado and the Baltimore Orioles may show indicate the nightmare that’s to come if the Indians’ can’t lock Lindor up, and then don’t trade him.

Machado, who is in the final year of “team control,” signed a one-year $19.5 million contract in January in his final year of arbitration eligibility. Last year, he signed for $11.5 million to avoid arbitration.

With Baltimore’s inability to sign him long term, Machado is poised to hit the free-agent market after the season at the astonishing young age of 26. There had been talk of the Orioles trading him, but with Machado expected to walk in free agency, they’re not likely to get a lot in return.

The lesson for the Indians: The longer you wait, the less you’ll recoup for arguably the biggest star your franchise has ever had.

Enjoy Lindor why you can, especially with the Indians contending for a World Series championship. We’d all love for him to play his entire career in a Tribe uniform, the reality of baseball in the free agency age makes that a pipe dream.

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The Tribe’s window to win it all is wide open, especially with Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer at the front of the rotation. Be thankful Lindor is a part of this team, contributing at such a high level right now, instead of waisting his talent on a struggling team a la Mike Trout with the Angels.