Many are expecting the New York Mets to move first baseman Pete Alonso by the the July 30 MLB trade deadline, but could the Mets trade the slugger and then attempt to re-sign him in free agency next offseason?
Apparently, it's a strategy New York may employ, via Jim Bowden of The Athetic.
The Mets love Alonso, and he loves New York, Bowden notes.
New York offered Alonso a seven-year, $158 million extension last year, but he turned it down. He may end up landing a deal worth north of $200 million in free agency, which may seem fairly steep for a Mets club that is suddenly being more careful about its spending.
It's also important to note that New York's top priority next winter will likely be outfielder Juan Soto, who is expected to command over $500 million. However, the chances of the Mets being able to land Soto seem relatively slim at this point.
What could the Mets expect to get in a trade for Pete Alonso?
The fact that Alonso is hitting free agency after the season will almost certainly temper what the Mets can land in a trade for Alonso, especially considering that he is having the worst year of his career. Not that Alonso has been terrible, but he is slashing a modest .240/.321/.476 with 14 home runs and 32 RBI over 277 plate appearances.
Those numbers pale in comparison to Alonso's career slash line of .250/.340/.523. He has smashed 40 or more homers in each of the last two years, including 46 long balls in 2023. Plus, he led the majors with 131 RBI in 2022, and during his rookie campaign in 2019, he paced the big leagues with 53 dingers.
Obviously, rival teams may also be anticipating that Alonso will revert to his previous form during the second half of 2024, but even then, there is the possibility of losing him for nothing in the offseason.
The Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs and Minnesota Twins are all clubs that have been mentioned as potential landing spots for Alonso, per Bowden. However, most of those clubs would probably not have much interest in retaining Alonso on a massive contract in free agency.
Even the Yankees—who are no strangers to spending money—would probably balk at the idea of re-signing Alonso considering that they will probably be putting just about all of their eggs in the Soto basket. After all, Soto has been a revelation for the Yanks since coming over in a trade with the San Diego Padres last December.
In addition to his contract expiring at the end of 2024, Alonso's poor defense may be another deterrent to teams offering the Mets a big package for the 29-year-old. He is really a one-dimensional player. Yes, he is a terrific power hitter, but if he isn't hitting home runs, there isn't much else that Alonso brings to the table.
Regardless, if the Mets really want to re-sign Alonso, they may feel a bit more comfortable letting him go at the deadline for a less-than-stellar return. They may also attempt to pay a portion of his $20.5 million salary for 2024, which could increase their potential haul.
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