Francisco Lindor homers, says contract talks with Mets 'nothing serious'

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Francisco Lindor and the Mets have begun negotiating a long-term contract extension, but if a deal is not completed within the next two weeks or so, the superstar shortstop still plans to go to free agency.

That modicum of an update came via Lindor on Tuesday, after he walloped his first homer in a Mets uniform during an 8-3 exhibition win against the Astros.

He qualified the existence of the contract talks by saying that so far it is "nothing serious."

"We’re just talking," he said. "We’ll see how everything goes. My agent [David Meter] is in charge of that. That’s between the front office and agent. If I say no, we haven’t started, I’d be lying."

Lindor reiterated, without equivocation, his desire for negotiations to cease — with or without an agreement — by Opening Day, which is April 1.

He has been up front about that since joining the Mets via trade in January. Team president Sandy Alderson, however, seemed to be optimistic about continuing talks beyond that unofficial deadline when he said this month, "If things don't work out between now and the end of spring training, we'll figure out a way, I think, hopefully, to continue to communicate."

Lindor would be happy to talk to the Mets — and who knows how many other teams — after the World Series, though.

"I will not be negotiating during the season. I will go to free agency," Lindor said. "If something carries on during the season, it’s not fair for me, it’s not fair for the team. I gotta give everything I got into winning baseball games. So if it doesn’t happen in spring training, I will go to free agency. We’ll talk in November, December, whenever free agency starts."

Alderson declined to comment Tuesday.

Lindor politely evaded discussing specifics, including whether "nothing serious" included monetary figures being mentioned.

"Like I said, nothing serious. Nothing serious," he said. "I would love to give you a lot of details, but that’s not the person I am."

OK, fine. Fair. But at this point in your life, what do you value most in an extension? Number of years, average annual salary, an opt-out clause, the right to refuse a trade?

"My family," he said. "Wherever my family is happy, wherever my family is comfortable, that's what I value the most.

"I'm going to play the game wherever I am. Like I said, I'm not going to get into too much details. This is a little bit more personal. I know I kind of owe it to the people, but I'm sorry to all those that are expecting me to go out there and tell them everything. That's just not how I am. I'm very appreciative to be in the position I am today. I'm blessed to be in this position. I'm humbled that a team would love to pay me.

"I want my family to be happy. I want my family to be in a safe place. I knew they could be safe in Cleveland and I know they could be safe in New York. So we'll see what happens."

Like Lindor, Pete Alonso (3-for-3) and Dominic Smith homered against Houston, offering a glimpse of the Mets’ offensive potential. The lineup featured all of the starters, a group so deep that the Nos. 6-8 hitters were Jeff McNeil, J.D. Davis and James McCann.

Manager Luis Rojas called it a "model of what this lineup can do."

"I just want to be a part of what they have," Lindor said. "I just want to be one piece of the puzzle. I'm very happy, I'm excited. Today showed a little bit of what we can do. I can't wait."