It doesn’t matter what occurs with the New York Mets this season, one
storyline primed to be a focus with the zoo in Queens is what’s going to occur
with their resident Polar Bear. First baseman Pete Alonso will likely be a free agent
on the finish of this season and as of proper now, there are not any plans to sit down down
on the bargaining desk.
A lot has been written concerning the Alonso state of affairs and the New York tabloids will certainly spill much more ink this season and past, if it goes that far. Hypothesis is rampant with what the Mets will do, with many baseball pundits believing he’ll be traded and others pondering he’ll be re-signed.
There’s additionally a 3rd, extra intriguing possibility some have floated: The Mets may deal Alonso earlier than the commerce deadline with a plan to re-sign
him within the offseason. This isn’t as loopy as it could sound, as there’s some
precedent for it. In 2016, the New York Yankees despatched Aroldis Chapman to the Chicago Cubs and
then introduced him again earlier than the 2017 season. This ended up being a win-win for
each golf equipment, because the Cubs gained the World Collection and within the deal the Yankees bought Gleyber
Torres, who’s been a mainstay of their lineup during the last seven years.
May this work for the Mets? There are two large potential obstacles. First, does the staff even need him again? Whereas proprietor Steve Cohen might say all the suitable issues about wanting Alonso to return, he has but to place his sizable sum of money the place his mouth is.
Maybe extra importantly, how would Alonso really feel concerning the
state of affairs? Throughout spring coaching, he spoke lovingly concerning the metropolis of New York
and being a Met. Would he settle for being a pawn in a commerce chess sport, uprooting
his life for various months after which coming again like he by no means left?
Let’s say the Mets grow to be mired in one other unhealthy season and determine to commerce Alonso to the Cubs, who’ve been related to the slugger. Now let’s say historical past repeats itself and Chicago wins the
World Collection. Would Alonso need to return to a staff that would nonetheless be targeted
on rebuilding or would he fairly stick with a squad that would probably play
for extra championships?
There’s
additionally this to contemplate: What if Alonso looks like he’s not being valued by Mets administration?
Whereas he (and agent Scott Boras) are definitely after a giant payday, perhaps Alonso
can be trying to go someplace the place he will likely be appreciated. And if a staff is
keen to surrender beneficial property to get him? Maybe that tells him
all the things.
