There are many around MLB who believe Pete Alonso’s decision to hire one of the most powerful agents in sports will likely lead to the New York Mets testing his value on the winter trade market.
Every team in every sport is always looking to develop the next homegrown star that can help them bring in a bunch of wins and revenue for the next decade. In the case of the New York Mets, it could be said that they have found that in three-time All-Star Pete Alonso. However, the man nicknamed “The Polar Bear” isn’t quite as reliable as 2022 American League MVP Aaron Judge has been for crosstown rivals the Yankees.
Related: Pete Alonso makes key decision relating to future with New York Mets
While the 28-year-old has become the anchor of their lineup, mixed in with his trips to the All-Star game are a couple of frustrating seasons where he underperformed in a major way. In the 2020 pandemic-shortened season he had a rough showing, which some easily wrote off. But his down year this season has made others question if he can be the long-term anchor players such as David Wright and Jose Reyes were for the franchise.
In 2023, Alonso played in 154 games but had career lows in average, on-base percentage, and his second-worst slugging percentage. Along with his 46 home runs he also posted 151 strikeouts, and it has led many to feel that after five seasons Alonso may have hit his ceiling. That is why there was speculation this season that he could be on the trade block before the deadline, which he reportedly was to a certain extent.
- Pete Alonso stats (2023): .217 AVG, .318 OBP, .504 SLG, 46 HR, 118 RBI, 92 R
There are certainly many New York Mets fans who hope the team can keep him, but with a new team president aboard in David Stearns, it is unclear what his true feelings are on the player who is entering his final season of arbitration. What is making matters more difficult is that Alonso recently hired Scott Boras to be his agent. A man not expected to advise his new client to take a deal before hitting free agency next year.
That is why there is a real chance Pete Alonso could be on the trade block this winter. An idea USA Today MLB insider Bob Nightengale furthered when he reported on Monday that “Teams fully expect that Mets All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso will be made available this winter, particularly after Alonso switched agencies to Scott Boras.”
With that in mind, let’s speculate on the possible landing spots if the Mets feel they are better off getting something for Alonso now, with a year left on his deal, than possibly losing him next winter.
4 potential Pete Alonso winter trade landing spots
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners just missed out on reaching the playoffs again this season. While they have a few strong bats in the order — especially from the outfield — they are very much in need of some more thump and Alonso could easily slot into first base or DH in Seattle. He might also be a nice consolation prize if they fail in their chase for Shohei Ohtani.
Related: New York Mets star Pete Alonso reportedly had strong reaction to Buck Showalter firing
Los Angeles Angels
There are rumblings that former Mets skipper Buck Showalter could be a top candidate for the Los Angeles Angels job. Alonso was reportedly a big fan of the old-school manager and could easily become a top target for Showalter’s new LA roster with Ohtani not expected to come back next year.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers were reportedly very interested in Alonso at the August deadline. However, talks did not go very far. After a quick elimination in the postseason this year, the first baseman could be seen as the missing piece, and being only signed for one more season wouldn’t mean a big long-term investment for the small-market club.
Related: New York Mets reportedly facing massive Pete Alonso contract extension cost in 2024
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants have been on the hunt for a new face for a couple of years. They failed to land Judge last year, and likely will in the chase for Ohtani. It would make sense if they swung a trade for Alonso to be the heart of their order and looked to make him a staple of the roster for the next decade in a new deal next winter.