Francisco Lindor wants to remain a Met.
The five-time All-Star told the New York Post (subscription required) on Tuesday that he plans to stay with the team through his current contract, which runs through the 2031 season. Lindor signed the 10-year, $341 million deal before the 2021 campaign.
“When I signed up here, it was to be in the good times and bad times and to win,” he told The Post.
Lindor's comments come after a Trade Deadline when his name was mentioned as a possible piece the Mets could move as they unloaded a number of key players -- including outfielder Tyrone Taylor and pitchers Freddy Peralta and Luke Weaver -- amid a disappointing season. Lindor has a no-trade clause, meaning he'd have to approve any deal.
The Mets enter Wednesday at 53-68 and 11 games out of an NL Wild Card spot. But the shortstop doesn't believe this season's results are a sign of what's to come for the team, and he told The Post he has confidence in owner Steve Cohen and president of baseball operations David Stearns.
“We have the right guys,” Lindor said. “Stearns is the right guy. That is No. 1. We have one of the best owners in sports history, because [Cohen] is going to go always with the energy that needs to be put into the team. When you are in a big market there is not such a thing as rebuilding. There is a little bit of transition, that is it. You can’t afford to rebuild in big markets, so I think we are working toward the right place. We have not taken a step backwards.”
In addition to Lindor, the Mets' roster still has talent. Juan Soto, on the IL since late July with a left calf strain, remains one of baseball's best hitters when healthy. There's also the young talent of outfielders Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing, and pitcher Nolan McLean, among other key pieces.
“You have the players you want to build around,” Lindor told The Post. “You have the young pitching staff, along with a couple of pitchers that are a little bit older. You have got Marcus [Semien], who has still got a couple of years. You have Bo [Bichette, who can opt out after this season] -- it’s going to be up to him if he stays. You have the young players, and then you look at the Minor League system, and you feel that we got better [at the Trade Deadline], so I believe that we are working forward.
“Every season that you lose a lot of games, it might look like you are taking a step back, but we’re not because there’s other things happening around it or behind it that are propelling us forward.”
Lindor enters Wednesday with a .243 average, 11 homers and a .767 OPS on the season. But he's batting .305 with five homers and a 1.024 OPS over his past 15 games.