Francisco Lindor's Massive Contract is a Steal For Mets

A stunning statistic shows that the Mets are underpaying Francisco Lindor, considering how he has performed in New York.

Sep 2, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) celebrates after hitting a RBI single in the fourth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Francisco Lindor has been invaluable to the New York Mets' success this season. The 30-year-old shortstop has become a leading candidate for the NL MVP award due to his .843 OPS, 30 home runs, 26 stolen bases, plus the fact that he's likely to win his third career Gold Glove award.

On March 31, 2021, Lindor signed a ten-year contract extension worth $341 million with the New York Mets, which made him the highest-paid player in Mets franchise history.

However, the baseball statistics website FanGraphs shows that Lindor is underpaid, given his performance with the Mets thus far.

X user @gmenjake1 posted on Tuesday, "The Mets have paid Francisco Lindor $124.6 million.

According to FanGraphs, he has been worth $182.7 million.

Absolute Steal

One of the best contracts in baseball".

The Mets have paid Francisco Lindor $124.6 million.

According to fangraphs, he has been worth $182.7 million.

Absolute Steal

One of the best contracts in baseball

— jake (@gmenjake1) September 3, 2024

A look at Lindor's FanGraphs player page proves this take to be true.

When looking at the page's 'Value' section, all of Lindor's season statistics are assessed and given a reflective monetary value in a 'Dollars' sub-category. This category is, "Dollars - WAR (Wins Above Replacement) converted to a dollar scale based on what a player would make in free agency."

In other words, the 'Dollars' category turns Lindor's stats into an accurate monetary value.

As of September 4, Lindor's total 'Dollars' value through first four seasons in New York is $184.2 million.

Dividing this total by four (for each of his Mets seasons) makes his monetary value per year $46.05 million. His current salary is $34.1 million per year.

Even when including Lindor's $21 million signing bonus, he has clearly outperformed his seismic contract thus far.

And that $46.05 million only encompasses what Lindor does on the field. It doesn't take his leadership, infectious energy, and clubhouse presence into account; all of which may be just as important as his statistics when it comes to helping the Mets win games.

It remains to be seen how Lindor will perform through the rest of his 10-year contract. Yet, Mets fans can rest easy knowing that, thus far, they got their biggest superstar on a bargain.