Barely a year removed from an NLCS appearance, the New York Mets are overhauling their roster, and Mike Francesa claims Donald Trump may have something to do with it.
When the new-look Mets take the field in 2026, Juan Soto might be the only guaranteed holdover from last season’s team right now. Pete Alonso, Edwin Diaz, and Brandon Nimmo are already gone, with other moves still to be made as the Mets attempt to fix what has been reported as a fractured clubhouse last season.
While manager Carlos Mendoza has pushed back on the notion that a fractured clubhouse contributed to the Mets’ demise last season, Mike Francesa says he checked with his own sources and learned there were issues between Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto, and between Francisco Lindor and Brandon Nimmo.
“I checked into it. Lindor and Soto were never buddy-buddy. It was never Soto and Judge. Soto loved Judge,” Francesa said. “My understanding is Lindor and Soto got off on the wrong foot when Lindor did not call him and welcome him to the team. But it was never that they couldn’t play together or anything major.”
On the contrary, Lindor claimed he reached out to Soto right after the outfielder signed his record 15-year, $765 million deal to say “Congratulations…this is fantastic for you, for your family. Have a moment for yourself, and then let’s get to work.” To which Soto supposedly said, “Exactly. Let’s do it.” It may not have been the warmest welcome, but it’s not like Lindor ignored the signing.
“The Nimmo-Lindor thing, my understanding, was political. Had to do with Trump. One side liked Trump, one side didn’t like Trump,” Francesa continued. “So, Trump splitting up the Mets between Nimmo and Lindor. That’s my understanding, that it started over Trump, as crazy as that sounds.”
Having political differences doesn’t mean Lindor and Nimmo weren’t able to be in the same baseball lineup together. Having political differences also probably didn’t lead to Nimmo being shipped out of New York. Having political differences may have made it hard for Nimmo and Lindor to be best friends, but that shouldn’t really matter much when building a roster.
Major League Baseball is considered more conservative than the NFL or NBA, so this probably isn’t the first time Lindor played with a Trump supporter, as Nimmo, a Wyoming native and outspoken Christian, is alleged to be, which is why it seems more likely that trading Nimmo was less about Trump, and more about breaking up a Mets core that appeared to be going backwards last season.
Regardless of the reasoning, Lindor reportedly being at the center of rifts with Soto, Nimmo, and Jeff McNeil is not what a team wants out of its de facto captain.
About Brandon Contes
Brandon Contes is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He previously helped carve the sports vertical for Mediaite and spent more than three years with Barrett Sports Media. Send tips/comments/complaints to bcontes@thecomeback.com