Ever since the Mets firesale at the 2023 trade deadline, there have been lots of questions about the future of the franchise. When will the Mets be able to compete again? Does it change how Steve Cohen spends? Who is going to be the core the Mets build around? This question has been given the most thought. Specifically around whether or not Pete Alonso is going to be on this team or not.
Ever since being called up in 2019, Alonso has been the best hitter in the Mets lineup. Everyone remembers his historic rookie season when he set the rookie record for home runs in a season. Since then, he has established himself as one of the best power hitters in baseball. He's constantly a threat to hit 40 home runs in a season. He's a two-time home run derby champion. With all of this, it would seem like a slam dunk Alonso will be a part of the Mets going forward. However, over the past few weeks, rival executives have come out saying they expect Alonso to be traded this offseason. The Mets even discussed an Alonso trade at the deadline this year.
Arguments of a Pete Alonso Trade
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A Pete Alonso trade is not as black and white as it might seem. There would be positives and negatives about trading him or not. Here is what each side is saying.
Arguments For Trading Pete Alonso
The arguments for trading him have to do more with this season, and the long-term picture of the Mets. As mentioned before, it's unknown when the Mets are going to be able to compete again. It could be next season. But, it also could take until 2026 when the Mets are true World Series contenders again. With this unknown timeline, does it make sense to hold onto Alonso? He's only under contract until next season. Does it make more sense to trade him, and get a huge return that speeds up the rebuild?
Plus, Pete Alonso is going to want to be the highest-paid first baseman in baseball. Alonso and his team are going to look at Matt Olson's contract as a framework for what he wants. Olson's contract is an eight-year deal for $168 million, which is an average annual value of $22 million. This means at the least Alonso will want an eight-year deal with an annual value of $25 million. Do you want to give that kind of contract to a guy nearing the age of thirty? Plus, he has seen major regression this season in terms of batting average and on-base percentage. Is this a sign that Alonso's game might drop off?
Arguments Against Trading Pete Alonso
Pete Alonso is one of the best-position players to ever come out of the Mets system. If you were to look at the history of the Mets, not many position prospects live up to the hype. So far in his career, Alonso has lived up to the hype and exceeded expectations. I mean people thought Alonso would be good, but nobody imagined he be arguably the best power hitter in baseball. When you have a player like that, you build around them. You don't trade them away.
If Pete Alonso stays on the Mets he has a chance to be the greatest offensive player in Mets history. There is a legitimate chance that he could break every single record in the Mets' history books. Now, this could be due to the fact that the Mets aren't known historically for their offense. They're more of a pitching-dominant franchise. However Pete Alonso has a chance to own the Mets record books, make it to the hall of fame with a Mets hat, and could have his number 20 retired. Players like that are hard to come by. There is no guarantee that whatever the Mets get for Alonso is able to live up to what Alonso could be. It makes more sense to keep the known assets and try to win with him.
What the Mets Will Do
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At this point in time, it's very unlikely the Mets will trade Pete Alonso. Despite what rival executives are saying, the Mets still see Alonso as part of their future. Now, of course, there are two factors that change this thought process. One would be a team offering a ridiculous trade offer where it's too good you can't refuse it. It would basically be a trade involving MLB-ready guys, and top 100 prospects. The second would be if Alonso and the Mets are very far apart in terms of a contract extension. They would have to be tens of millions apart with no side willing to give in. At that point, the Mets would explore a trade. However those two scenarios are highly unlikely, so expect Alonso to be in a Mets jersey for a long time.
Thanks for reading. Credit for the featured image goes to Rich Shultz. You can find more MLB content at Belly Up Sports and follow me on Twitter/X.
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