The New York Mets have come out of the gate slow to start the second half, dropping two out of three against the Miami Marlins, but are still in a three-way tie for the final wild-card spot at 50-48.
Given how tight the wild-card race is, the Mets could find themselves in a tricky situation at the trade deadline, having to determine whether to buy, sell, or stay pat.
If they sell, the blue and orange have plenty of intriguing targets. However, with so many teams still in it, the organization could find itself getting offers it can’t refuse regardless of its record.
A potential player who could garner such an offer is Pete Alonso. Alonso is set to enter free agency this offseason. Despite having a down year by his standards, the 29-year-old made the all-star team and has produced a .239/.319/.450 slash line across 97 games with 19 home runs and 51 RBIs.
While there hasn’t been any indication that the two-time home run derby champ will get traded, in a scenario with Alonso gone, the Mets could still be in a position to compete and could target a former all-star to fill the Polar Bears void.
The Mets could target Ty France
The Seattle Mariners have been faltering of late, and as their once-large division lead has evaporated, they have started to make moves to change their slumping lineup. On Sunday, the Mariners placed former all-star first baseman Ty France on irrevocable waivers.
France has slashed .224/.313/.351 across 87 games this season with eight home runs and 31 RBIs.
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Why acquiring France could make sense
Acquiring France would make plenty of sense for the Mets. The 30-year-old has no long-term commitment past this season, as he is currently on a one-year deal worth $6.8 million and wouldn’t cost anything but money to acquire.
In addition, the California native would provide the blue and orange with a natural backup first baseman and a contingency plan if Alonso were to be traded.
Time will tell if France dons the blue and orange, but acquiring the former all-star at least garners a look from president of baseball operations David Stearns.
