The first base position has certainly been a source of intrigue for the New York Mets since the end of the 2024 season.
After six productive years of Pete Alonso at the position, New York engaged in a long, drawn-out negotiation before they finally re-signed the “Polar Bear” to a two-year deal that includes an opt-out after 2025.
But Alonso wasn’t the only option the Mets considered. Nor will he be the only option they have to choose from moving forward.
Toronto Blue Jays superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who will be a free agent at the end of the season, expects to make a windfall next winter. And after he and the Jays were unable to reach an extension before spring training, there’s a realistic chance he could be traded at the deadline.
On Wednesday, Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer named seven teams he believed would “battle” for Guerrero if he becomes available in a trade, and the Mets were listed prominently among those teams.
“In January… SNY’s Andy Martino reported the Mets had checked in on Guerrero amid their standoff with Alonso. That standoff finally ended last week, so the Mets presumably won’t be checking in again any time soon,” Rymer wrote. “If you squint, though, you can see a possibility of them picking up the phone again sometime this summer.”
“Though the Mets are carrying a $331 million payroll into 2025, FanGraphs only has them as the fifth-best bet to win the World Series. That hints at legitimate deficiencies, including an uninspiring Jesse Winker-Starling Marte tandem at DH.”
Last season, Guerrero ranked sixth among all hitters with a .940 OPS. He’s still only 25, so if the Mets are projecting stats over the next decade, they’re likely to prefer his profile over Alonso. The question is, at what price tag?
Even if New York doesn’t go after Guerrero hard in free agency next winter, trading for him as a rental could still be under consideration. He’ll be a fascinating name to watch all season, especially if Toronto comes out of the gates limping.
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