Mets' Francisco Lindor strangely predicted to land with NL West club in offseason trade

This could be a long offseason for the New York Mets. 

Well, it could be a long offseason for everyone due to a possible lockout. 

Still, the Mets have several key decisions to make after a nightmare season. The NL East club was eliminated from postseason contention on Monday. 

With superstar outfielder Juan Soto, the Mets' second consecutive playoff absence is a significant letdown. 

Soto is guaranteed to return in 2027. But what about five-time All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor? Rumors spread that the Mets entertained trade offers for Lindor at the deadline, and FanSided's Jake Elman believes the front office could pull the trigger this winter. 

"We’ve said for months that keeping Lindor in New York is untenable, and he’s spent this season losing what remained of his goodwill with the fan base," Elman wrote. "Add in his previous feud with Juan Soto and accusations of immaturity, and it’s not hard to understand why we’re advocating for a trade." 

Elman predicts that Lindor's next destination will be the San Francisco Giants. 

"Buster Posey strikes us as a lead baseball executive who will keep throwing money at problems. Acquiring Lindor could force Willy Adames to second base, which might wind up being a net positive. Keep an eye on this situation," Elman added. 

It's hard to imagine the Giants accepting Lindor's contract without the Mets eating a substantial amount of money. 

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San Francisco already has large contracts handed out to Adames, Rafael Devers, and Matt Chapman. 

Sure, Lindor could slide in at shortstop if Adames is willing to accept a move to second base. 

But Elman's trade idea is far-fetched -- the last thing the Giants need while trying to retool is to add a boatload to their future payroll. 

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