Pete Alonso and the New York Mets may be destined for a divorce, and three other teams could look to get the paperwork going on that by the July 30 MLB trade deadline.
According to Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly, the Cleveland Guardians are among the short list of franchises that may find value in trading for Alonso on a short-term rental of sorts (h/t Patrick McAvoy of Fan Nation’s Inside the Mets):
“But considering the acquiring team would only be guaranteed Alonso for a few months, some lower-budget clubs that might not be in play for him as a free agent could view him as a realistic trade target,” Kelly said. “Among the playoff-caliber teams that fit that bill are the Cleveland Guardians (Josh Naylor could shift to DH), Seattle Mariners (more on them in a minute) and Minnesota Twins.”
Mets: Guardians, Mariners, and Twins could all want Pete Alonso at the trade deadline
The Guardians (41-22) are the fourth-best team in baseball this year. They have real World Series hopes that could swell up by adding a power hitter like Alonso to their fold. The Guardians currently have the ninth-most home runs (70) and the fifth-most RBIs (294) in the big leagues, two areas where Alonso could take them from great to top-class in. The 29-year-old has 14 home runs on the season, sporting a strong .801 OPS.
The Mariners (36-30) and the Twins (33-31) are jockeying for Wild Card positioning in the American League. Having the three-time All-Star on their rosters would also figure to pay major dividends for their hopeful playoff surges down the back half of the 2024 campaign.
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Could Alonso & the Mets’ failed contract negotiations spell the end of his career in New York?
The Mets have reason to ship out their franchise player. They’ve tussled over a contract extension for over a year. Joel Sherman of the New York Post revealed earlier this spring that the Mets gave Alonso a seven-year, $158 million extension offer that did not go through.
That would have paid him $22.57 million annually, roughly $2 million more than the $20.5 million he’s making for the 2024 season in arbitration. Alonso could see a significant bump in pay in the open market this winter. New York could make the tough decision to part ways with the former 2019 home run leader to get something in return for him before he walks for nothing.
The Mets (27-36) may also be major sellers at the deadline on July 30 if their losing ways continue. The anticipated return of their ace Kodai Senga will give them the most up-to-date feel for how they stack up in the NL East and the league as a whole. Should they opt to unload veteran talent and lay the foundation for a re-tool or rebuild, Alonso could see himself leaving Queens, NY. this summer.