After going just 3-7 in their last 10 games, the New York Mets find themselves just 22-30 this season, only four-and-a-half games out of the National League East cellar.
Mets owner David Stearns was asked about the Mets' playoff hopes this season, and he gave a less-than-optimistic answer, per Deesha Thosar of Fox Sports:
“David Stearns on whether he thinks the Mets can compete for the playoffs: ‘Look, we haven't played like a playoff team, and I think that's a reality of how we've played here through the first 50 games. That doesn't mean we won't, but we gotta show it. I think we have a group of players that is very committed to that goal that is determined to play better. But until we show it, it's a reasonable question.'”
While Stearns isn't ruling the Mets out of a postseason run, he's being fairly frank about how poorly the Mets have played through the first two months of the season. If New York wants to make a run and possibly claim a wild card spot over an Atlanta Braves team that is dealing with significant long-term injuries this season, they need to start winning some games.
Mets must make decision on Pete Alonso
Trade rumors for Pete Alonso are still rumbling as the Mets continue to struggle. It's possible that their best course of action to trade Alonso and restock the farm system.
Alonso will hit free agency this winter after six productive seasons with the Mets. They have yet to sign a contract extension and it doesn’t seem all that likely that there’s one on the way, especially with the future in New York looking worse and worse. With a record of 22-30, New York is off to a worse start than last year and has been passed in the division standings by the Washington Nationals.
Of course, Alonso is a client of agent Scott Boras, who is well known for taking his clients to free agency more frequently than agreeing to terms beforehand.
If the Mets decide to once again be sellers at the trade deadline, Alonso is one of the many names who are expected to be available. He and the team reportedly aren’t seeing eye-to-eye on what his “market value” is going to be.
A plethora of teams could be looking to add hitting at the deadline. Since the start of the 2022 season, only Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber have hit more homers than Alonso. Even though his power has dropped off as the Mets struggle this season, it's tougher to imagine a better power hitter being available for trade in the near future.
The Mets will have to make a decision shortly, as the MLB trade deadline is July 30.
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