Former Mets exec reveals Yankees' Francisco Lindor nightmare scenario almost happened

Francisco Lindor has revitalized the New York Mets in 2024, more than living up to his massive contract and earning MVP honors in any other year (or, rather, any other league without Shohei Ohtani or Aaron Judge).

The Mets OMG'ing their way to October success isn't any Yankee fan's favorite thing to witness, but at least ... they're over there, and we're over here. When New York City is defined by winning baseball, it's a fun time to live within its borders. Lindor in Flushing is fine. Lindor leading the charge for an AL East franchise that, upon failing to secure his services, soured almost immediately? Now that would be bleak.

According to 2021 acting GM of the Mets Zack Scott, that's almost exactly what went down before Steve Cohen and Co.(hen) pulled the trigger on their blockbuster Lindor trade (and eventual extension).

When Scott celebrated Lindor's heroics on Twitter Monday afternoon, one Mets fan decided to use the moment as an opportunity to pry into the specifics of the deal that imported him in the first place. Why? Because Mets fans refuse to be happy for more than 13 consecutive seconds. OMG.

The fan prodded as to why, exactly, Scott felt the need to exchange assets (Andrés Giménez, Amed Rosario) in exchange for Lindor rather than wait to sign him. He had an answer cued up: the Blue Jays were lurking, and would've pulled off a trade and likely extension if New York slept.

Mets nearly lost Francisco Lindor to Toronto Blue Jays in 2021, which would've hurt Yankees

What would the ramifications have been in Toronto if this had gone down? Bo Bichette stays and moves to second base? The recruitment of Shohei Ohtani goes a little bit better, maybe? Are the Jays able to pull off a Juan Soto trade, instead of simply agitating a bit on the way to the Yankees' coup?

Instead, the Jays are stuck in neutral, and Lindor is starring in Vlad Jr.'s movie out in Queens.

Yankee fans have a lot of reasons to be thankful for the Jays' ineptitude in recent seasons, but in this particular instance, we'll have to tip our cap to the Mets. Thanks for having our back, old regime!