MLB insider shares why Mets could trade Pete Alonso

Whereas talking with reporters final week, New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns did not utterly slam the door shut on presumably buying and selling All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso this offseason. 

MLB insider Jeff Passan of ESPN supplied extra data on the topic for a chunk printed Tuesday. 

“Alonso has expressed curiosity in hammering out a contract extension with the Mets,” Passan defined. “However he needs massive cash — a lot larger than the highest first-base contracts doled out in recent times — and, accordingly, the Mets are prepared to take heed to different groups. They aren’t chasing a commerce. Except contract talks collapse, they’re unlikely to pursue one. But when a motivated crew approaches the Mets, new president of baseball operations David Stearns will hear them out.” 

Stearns confirmed throughout an look on MLB Community final week that he and Alonso’s camp will maintain contract extension talks this fall and/or winter, and the chief later added he does “not anticipate” buying and selling the favored slugger who turns 29 years outdated subsequent month. Nonetheless, Stearns additionally made it clear he does not “draw traces within the sand” and is “by no means going to say by no means” concerning a possible commerce that theoretically would enhance the Mets for and past the second half of the last decade. 

Alonso is on monitor to succeed in free agency subsequent fall and hired Scott Boras as his agent following this previous season. The “Polar Bear” hit extra house runs than another participant from the beginning of the 2019 marketing campaign via the 2023 common season (192) and seemingly ought to keep put via not less than Opening Day 2024 if the Mets are severe about competing for a playoff spot subsequent yr. 

After all, it is potential that Stearns and big-spending Mets proprietor Steve Cohen view two-way famous person Shohei Ohtani as a possible alternative for Alonso. Whereas Ohtani is routinely linked in tales with the Los Angeles Dodgers, it is thought he might signal a short-term contract that features a excessive common annual worth with a crew such because the Mets in order that he might check free company once more a number of years down the street.