The Indians are projected by @fangraphs depth charts to be the sixth-best MLB team in 2021. If they trade Lindor and replace him with replacement-level talent, they drop to sixteenth-best.

They would go from having a very good chance to win the AL Central to being borderline out of contention for the wild card.

Admittedly, they won't replace him with replacement-level players, but the difference between him and his successor will almost certainly be steep, since there are few good options at the upper levels of the minors.

Best case post-trade scenario: Nolan Jones is on the roster on Opening Day and immediately mashes. The Indians sign a mid-level shortstop like Didi and he bounces back. Friends, this will not happen.

We've been conditioned by analytics to think about the nebulous future as if it's so much more important than the present. But, the fact is, with a very strong farm system, the Indians are in phenomenal position to compete for years to come. There's no reason to punt on 2021.