Francisco Lindor could soon find himself at the center of a franchise-altering vision, as John Harper of SNY reports that “Corey Seager apparently can be had in a trade with the Texas Rangers.” Harper describes the scenario as “a tantalizing opportunity for the Mets,” one that president of baseball operations David Stearns should aggressively pursue.
Harper notes that Seager “would be an above-average defender” at third and, more importantly, a hitter who could elevate Mets’ offense to championship level. But he stresses that this dream scenario hingeson one key step: “If they re-sign Pete Alonso as well, that is.”
The real intrigue comes from the potential formation of a new supergroup in Queens. Harper urges readers to “consider the idea of… Lindor, Juan Soto, Alonso, and Seager,” calling it a lineup that could match the firepower of any team, “including the big, bad LA Dodgers.”
What would happen to Lindor’s shortstop position?
If Seager were to join the Mets, according to Harper’s analysis in his words for SNY, Seager could move to third base. This would avoid displacing Lindor from shortstop, where he has performed well, and would instead strengthen that area of the infield.
The Mets’ defense isn’t the worst, but acquiring a player like Seager, and retaining Pete Alonso, would establish a solid infield featuring another strong batter. Seager contributed a .271 average to the Rangers last season, but he could potentially return to his 2023 form, when he hit a .327 average and won his second World Series ring.
Why would the Rangers let Seager go?
This speculation stems from a report in a Dallas newspaper regarding a possible payroll cut for the Rangers before next season. Evan Grant wrote for the Dallas Morning News: “All that’s been made clear about the Rangers’ situation is the offense needs work and the payroll, per ownership’s demand, will be downsized. What’s not as clear is whether the haircut will be merely a trim or more of a buzz. It butted up against the CBT threshold of $241 million in 2025.”