Francisco Lindor has remained at the center of midseason speculation as the Mets endure a disappointing 2026 campaign. Questions about his relationship with Juan Soto have continued to fuel media attention, along with reports suggesting New York could consider moving its All-Star shortstop during the offseason.
However, Lindor recently addressed those rumors in an interview with Mike Puma of the New York Post, making it clear that he does not intend to leave the Mets.
“The plan is to be here for my contract,” said Lindor when asked about his future in Queens. “When I signed up here, it was to be in the good times and bad times and to win.”
Lindor was originally acquired during the 2021 offseason, when the Mets sent former No. 1 prospect Andrés Giménez and young infielder Amed Rosario to the Guardians in exchange for the star shortstop and Carlos Carrasco. Lindor would later sign a massive 10-year, $341 million extension with the Mets, ensuring he’d be the star of the future.
With Lindor on the roster, the Mets have made the playoffs just twice through his five-year tenure, with their last appearance being in 2024, when Lindor produced one of his best seasons to date, propelling the Mets to the NLCS. He was second in the MVP race that year to the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani.
However, since then, a growing number of Mets fans have soured on the established star, with some urging the team to trade him because of his struggles on the field, the club’s disappointing collapse in 2025, and ongoing speculation about tension between him and the team’s star outfielder. On July 1, Mets owner Steve Cohen addressed the situation during a podcast appearance with New York Post reporters Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman. Cohen acknowledged that there had previously been issues between the two players but emphasized that the situation is no longer a concern.
This season has been rough for both the Mets and the 32-year-old Lindor, who missed the entirety of spring training after undergoing surgery to repair a wrist injury. Lindor would then suffer an injury in late April, causing him to be out of action until June 27.
Through 64 games, Lindor holds a .243 BA with 11 HRs and 30 RBIs, along with a .767 OPS. He is, however, starting to perform at his star level, holding a .929 OPS over his last 20 games.
But his rebound comes amid a lost season for the 53-68 Mets, who owned the third-worst record in the National League entering their rubber match against the Atlanta Braves in their three-game set Wednesday. Their underachieving effort led to a fire sale at the trade deadline, sending off expiring contracts, along with Luke Weaver and Huascar Brazobán, both of whom hold team control for next season. In return, the Mets acquired nine new top-30 prospects, retooling their farm system, something that was desperately needed.
Not only have many fans given up on Lindor, but they have also given up on President of Baseball Operations David Stearns, calling for his termination.
But in his Post interview, Lindor gave Stearns, and team owner Cohen, votes of confidence.
“We have the right guys; Stearns is the right guy,” said Lindor. “We have one of the best owners in sports history, because [Cohen] is going to always go with the energy that needs to be put into the team. When you are in a big market, there is no such 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 backward.”
The Mets have played well since the trade deadline, winning 6 of 8 games. While it may not reverse the damage done this season, it has given fans a little inspiration that better times might yet lie ahead for the franchise.
Both A.J. Ewing and Carson Benge have emerged as rookie stars, and several prospects are showing signs in the minors that they’re almost ready for prime time.
In short, Lindor, Soto, Stearns and Cohen might actually be closer to the one thing more important than a world championship — years of sustained success for the Mets — than they were in April.
