Pete Alonso may still have a future with the New York Mets, but that’s far from a guarantee.
The so-called “Polar Bear” is a four-time All-Star in his six-year Mets career, and New Yorkers would surely love to see him back at first base in 2025. There seems to be a sizable gap, though, between Alonso’s contract expectations and what the Mets believe he’s worth.
The beauty of Major League Baseball’s free agency is that Alonso and the Mets might suddenly work out their differences by the end of the day today. But as of right now, New York has to at least consider some possible alternatives.
One of those alternatives? A trade for the man who has won three consecutive batting titles with three different ballclubs.
Luis Arraez is widely speculated to be available via trade heading into the final year of his contract with the San Diego Padres. Zach Pressnell of Newsweek pitched Arraez as the top alternative to Alonso if the latter signs elsewhere in a recent article.
“The Padres are reportedly shopping Arráez ahead of the 2025 season,” Pressnell wrote. “He’s not an elite defender or runner, but his bat is such a positive that the Mets would benefit from placing him in front of hitters like Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto.”
“The left-handed hitter may not club 40 home runs a season like Alonso, but he would be cheaper and is almost guaranteed to hit .320.”
Because Arraez is a rental, he might not cost the Mets all that much in terms of draft capital. He’s a completely different style of player to Alonso, but his bat-to-ball skills are second to none in the sport right now.
Alonso, of course, holds the key to the decision for both sides. If he stays in New York, Arraez is immediately off the table for the Mets. But if he balks at any offers the Mets make and bolts for another team, New York might be smart to quickly pivot to a trade with San Diego.
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