The New York Mets acquired star shortstop Francisco Lindor and right-handed pitcher Carlos Carrasco in a flash trade with the Cleveland Indians.
In return, Cleveland received shortstops Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez and two prospects in the league – right-hander Josh Wolf and fielder Isaiah Greene.
The brand is the first big step for the Mets since owner Steve Cohen completed his purchase of the franchise last year.
The Indians are also saving a significant 2021 payroll by retiring with Lindor ($ 19.5 million) and Carrasco ($ 12 million).
Since his MLB debut in 2015, Lindor has been ranked first among all shortstops in WAR (28.4), home games (138) and off-base hits, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
He also ranks second in RBIs (411) and runs (508), and fifth in OPS (.835) and slugging (.485) while batting .285. At 27, Lindor earned four All-Star nods, two gold gloves and two Silver Sluggers to appear in a 2016 World Series and a second place finish in the 2015 AL Rookie of the Year poll.
Carrasco, 33, was diagnosed with leukemia in 2019 and returned the same season to become the AL Comeback Player of the Year. He was seventh in the AL last season with a 2.91 ERA over 12 starts and was sixth with 82 strokes in 68.0 overs
Carrasco is 88-73 with an ERA of 3.77 and 1224 heats in 242 games during his 11-year career at Cleveland.
Rosario, 25, hit .268 from 2017 to ’20 with 32 homers and 148 RBIs in 403 games with the Mets.
Gimenez (22) batted .263 with 49 homers and 12 RBIs in 49 games last year.