The New York Mets are caught between a rock and a hard place when it comes to first baseman Pete Alonso. The MLB trade deadline is quickly approaching, and Alonso could be one of the biggest names on the market. That's if the Mets decide to trade him.
Apparently, New York is waffling back and forth between whether or not it should move its top power hitter, and one NL executive thinks it will be a very tough decision for Steve Cohen and Co.
“They have the money to sign whoever they want, whenever they want,” the exec said, via Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. “The wild card in the whole thing is whether they, as an organization, are willing to punt on the second half of the season or whether they want to bet on their high-dollar guys to play better and try to make a late push.”
Alonso is set to be a free agent after the season. He turned down a seven-year, $158 million extension offer from the Mets last year and is expected to command over $200 million on the open market. There has been some chatter that New York could potentially trade him now and then attempt to re-sign him over the winter, but that is obviously easier said than done.
The Mets need to face reality with Pete Alonso
Sure, the Mets have be just 3.5 games out of the final National League Wild Card spot, but there are six teams between them and that final playoff slot, and they own the third-worst record in the NL. This is not a very good ballclub, and it probably wouldn't be wise for Cohen to trick himself into thinking New York is an actual contender.
The Mets have issues up and down their roster. Their offense is pedestrian, at best. Their starting rotation isn't very good. The back end of their bullpen is a complete mess. They are also one of the oldest teams in baseball.
Realistically speaking, New York needs a complete roster overhaul, and trading Alonso would be a good start.
The 29-year-old is the most valuable piece the Mets have, and while the fanbase may adore him, it may be time to move him for the betterment of the future. Alonso is slashing .233/.315/.459 with 14 home runs and 32 RBI this season. The previous two years, he smashed 40 or more homers both times, including 46 in 2022. He blasted a career-high 53 long balls during his rookie campaign back in 2019.
So, in spite of his rather middling 2024 performance to date, we know that Alonso can hit, and he would absolutely be a welcomed addition to any contender in need of a slugger. Of course, how much the Mets would actually be able to secure in return in an Alonso trade is debatable, considering that he will be viewed as a rental by many squads. There are definitely a bunch of teams that would be interested in acquiring him, but they may not be willing to part with what New York demands.
That being said, the Mets may end up lowering their asking price the closer we get to the trade deadline, which is on July 30.
The smart move for New York would be to kick off a quasi-rebuild, and in that scenario, trading Alonso would be an essential must.
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