The odds that the New York Mets bring back Pete Alonso may still be good, but they’re far from 100 percent.
Alonso, the four-time All-Star first baseman, hoped to land a $200 million deal when he turned down an extension offer last winter. Not only does that number seem to be a pipe dream, but it’s unclear who else is bidding on Alonso at this point.
There was a report circulating Friday, stemming from ex-big-leaguer Carlos Baerga, that Alonso had rejected a three-year, $90 million offer from the Mets. If that report was true, it’s possible New York could already be moving on to Plan B.
There’s one alternative to re-signing Alonso that may be giving the Mets reason for pause. Free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman, a two-time All-Star for the Houston Astros, has the long-term potential to make the Mets’ roster even more potent.
Recently, Christopher Kline of FanSided urged the Mets to go hard after Bregman in free agency, projecting a lineup featuring Bregman, Juan Soto, and Francisco Lindor, but not Alonso.
“The only real threat, on the surface, is Boston. The Red Sox have been linked to Bregman, but the Mets are far more ambitious in these parts,” Kline said.
“Steve Cohen has made it his personal goal to dominate free agency and wield his spending power over his MLB peers. Swiping Bregman from Boston’s grasp would be the cherry on top of a landmark offseason.”
Bregman would project as the third baseman, with Mark Vientos shifting over to first to take over for Alonso. That could conceivably be the best offensive and defensive alignment for New York to challenge the Los Angeles Dodgers for the National League pennant.
If Bregman’s reported willingness to play second base is taken into account, perhaps the Mets could still be in play for Alonso. But it’s far more likely that they allow a Jeff McNeil/Luisangel Acuña/Ronny Mauricio roster battle to play out at second.
No one can predict what David Stearns and the front office will do until they do it. But at this point, it would be hard to blame them for letting Alonso sink or swim on his own in free agency.
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