This offseason is not going according to plan for the New York Mets. Not only have the Mets lost Edwin Diaz to the Los Angeles Dodgers, with a grand total of $3 million proving to be the difference, they also lost Pete Alonso, a homegrown star for the team since 2019, to the Baltimore Orioles. While this is signifying some financial prudence (or restraint) from the Mets, they are now up against it when it comes to pushing for a World Series title.
It's safe to say that Mets fans aren't too pleased with how things are turning out for their team during this hot stove season. But it's not all doom and gloom for the team based in Queens. MLB Network's Jon Morosi pointed out a free agent first baseman that makes sense for them in the aftermath of Alonso's departure.
“Cody Bellinger — like Alonso, a [Scott] Boras client — is a better fit for the Mets now than ever before,” Morosi pointed out on his official account on X (formerly Twitter).
The Mets have been making a living out of poaching Yankees players from the Bronx. They did so last year in Juan Soto and Clay Holmes and they've already signed their token Yankee this offseason in Devin Williams. Will Bellinger be the next to switch sides in the battle for New York?
Cody Bellinger is not a backup plan for the Mets
The Mets are hesitant to offer a long-term deal to aging players, which is quite understandable. But it takes money to acquire talent, and they would know of that firsthand considering how much money they splashed for Soto.
Bellinger looks like someone worthy of a long-term commitment to. He recorded 4.9 fWAR last season and he was good defensively across four positions — all outfield positions as well as first base. He'll only be 30 for most of the 2026 season, so the Mets may be more willing to spend huge on him.
