Who will be the New York Mets’ third baseman in 2021?

The New York Mets‘ plans for the infield suffered when starting second baseman Robinson Cano got busted using performance-enhancing drugs for a second time, earning him a season-long suspension for 2021.

However, the New York Mets aren’t in a rush to find solutions, as they have more than a few internal options to take over second base. One of them involves moving rookie Andres Gimenez (.263/.333/.398) there, as he made a positive impression and is a plus fielder and baserunner.

Another solution would involve writing Jeff McNeil’s name in the keystone, as he has plenty of experience playing there. But what about third base? There are some alternatives there, too.

JD Davis is an option there, but he isn’t good. He had -3 Outs Above Average and -8 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) in 2020 at the hot corner. McNeil can play there, too.

Additionally, the Mets have reportedly reached out to Amed Rosario about changing positions from shortstop to third base, given that Gimenez is a superior defender in the infield’s most important position.

Will the Mets consider making a trade for a star?

Several top third basemen, like Nolan Arenado and Kris Bryant, may be available via trade, but the Mets don’t seem too inclined to give up valuable prospects in any transaction.

“We don’t want to give up prospects, and we’re going to be very careful about doing that,” Alderson recently said, per MLB.com. “On the other hand, there may be something out there that causes us to say, ‘OK, with respect to this particular deal, this makes sense to us. And while we don’t want to give up prospects, maybe there’s a way we can do this.’ So I think we’re going to be actively engaged in both areas, while still focusing on the fact that free agency — yes, [it] requires dollar commitment, but it doesn’t require giving up prospects.”

Arenado, in particular, would be very expensive for the Mets as he has six years and more than $190 million remaining in his deal with the Colorado Rockies.

“If you’re talking about defensively, our third-base situation is probably a little bit up in the air,” Alderson said. “Is it as glaring a need as like a third or fourth starter? I don’t think so. But look, we’re gonna look for targets of opportunity. And if there are ways to make our team better in areas where we’re not the weakest but could use an upgrade, then those are things that Jared and the organization will have to consider.”