Reese Kaplan -- Mets Offseason Roster Bullet List Number Five

Mack's Mets will summarize players mentioned as possible new members of the team available via trade or free agency that have popped up in the media associated with them as a part of the 40 man roster.  These bullet points are not necessarily factual as if they were leaked from the Mets front office.  They comprise opinions, rumors and hypotheticals that various Mets beat writers and bloggers have felt necessary to put out into public notice.  Like EPA gas mileage ratings, take the news with a grain of salt.  We share but don’t necessarily endorse any of these transactions.

Pete Alonso Rumors

Well, where do you begin?  Apparently the numbers projected for Alonso are likely decreasing in AAV from what it would have been had the Polar Bear accepted the 6 year $158 million extension he declined.  That would break down to $26.3 million per year.  So how’s his market gone?

There are only rumors and not clear insider information about teams still having an interested in the formidable power hitter with at best modest defensive skills and no base running ability.  Right now the available list of suitors includes the San Francisco Giants, the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays have all been cited at prospective landing places for the current former New York Met.  

The Giants did land Willy Adames which is a nice get but they also lost Michael Conforto so there is a need for additional power.  New GM and hometown hero Buster Posey is determined to propel the northern California team back into competitiveness and as such the glaring need for a first baseman and Pete Alonso seem to be a good match.

In the case of the Mariners, they need power in the worst way.  You really can’t deny that attribute about Alonso who is second only to Aaron Judge for home runs during their same time period in the majors.  Not since the days of Ichiro were the Mariners regarded as big spenders, though the $25 million per year man they have leading their pitching rotation might suggest things could be changing.  

Now the Blue Jays often make a number of questionable moves.  Facing the prospect of losing one or both of Vlad Guerrero, Jr. and Bo Bichette at year’s end, they may be doubling down on run productivity or opening up trade possibilities for Guerrero now if Alonso is on board to man first base or play DH.  

A story ran this week about the Boston Red Sox not having snared any of the major hitters this off season, a suggestion was made that they bring in Alonso to take over first base from Triston Casas.  Can Casas hit?  Yes, but as a left handed hitter he’s not going to take advantage of the Green Monster which is something right handed hitters have a greater natural ability to attack.  

Alonso is indeed a right handed masher and getting him from the Mets to help the Red Sox fight against the Yankees could indeed make sense.  Casas has hit 42 home runs but that is in aggregate over three major league seasons, not in a single year like Alonso did in a pitcher’s ballpark.

Another team that allegedly entered the Alonso sweepstakes is Arte Moreno’s losing franchise in Anaheim.  Being within easy driving distance of the seeming insurmountable World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers making them always the second southern California baseball fan option and by quite a distance.  

With 99 losses in 2024, annual gaps with Mike Trout on the IL and a lineup that includes several nice but not top-of-the-game other hitters, they need to do something to generate some headlines.  Bringing in Alonso could be that move, but the question exists whether or not Moreno will spend to make that kind of transaction.

The wildcard entry into the late running Alonso pursuit could be last season's surprise contending Detroit Tigers.  They did just secure Gleyber Torres and perhaps would see Alonso as another solid bat to add to the mix.

Well, what about the Mets themselves?  If you can believe the questionable source of former disliked Met Carlos Baerga who now is doing Spanish language broadcasts for the Cleveland Guardians, then apparently the Mets have made a three year $90 million offer to Alonso which raises the AAV by nearly $4 million over what Alonso turned down and also includes mutual options for 2026 and 2027.  

The AAV is very good news for Alonso, but if he could get $24 million per year but over 6 years elsewhere the end result is a guaranteed $144 million vs. a one year guarantee of $30 million.  To take this deal Alonso would have to feel he can turn it on for one more All Star season to increase his desirability and future price tag, opting out and joining the FA market in 2026.  Of course, wouldn’t that same rationale have been equally applicable to his walk year in 2025 when he had his worst season?

An interesting article ran yesterday about Scott Boras allegedly panicking a bit now that the Mets capped their offer to Alonso with a high AAV but a very short three-year term.  Given how poorly he did with late contracts last season, it may be that as teams get closer to the start of Spring Training he will perhaps nudge Alonso to take something rather than holding out for the perfect offer as he may have misread the market demand for the Polar Bear.

Other Rumors

Brett Baty in the minds of most Mets fans and media is a failed prospect while having produced very little with multiple extended looks.  In his first season in New York with David Stearns as the new POBO he got the ax after 171 ABs opening the door for Mark Vientos who never looked back.  A story emerged this week that if the Mets strikeout on Alonso and Alex Bregman both, then they would move Vientos across the diamond to take over at first base and leave third base open for a do-or-die final chance for Baty to be a major league third baseman in Queens.  

If indeed that possibility existed, it could surely be temporary with Ronny Mauricio needing some additional ABs in the minors after missing all of 2024 due to injury and Luisangel Acuna showing flashes perhaps more suitable for second base than third.  

Then there is another injury-battler in Jett Williams who needs to show his true abilities while healthy in Syracuse.  So at worst it would be at worst an April/May “get it done” chance for Baty.  (A rumor existed that the Kansas City Royals would make a trade proposal for Baty based upon his draft position and former top prospect rating).

Alex Bregman continues oddly not to see many offers either.  Many perhaps are waiting to see what happens with Pete Alonso before making the commitment to a similarly priced third baseman who puts up good numbers and provides exceptional defense.  Still, the Mets have to give him a top mark on their alternative FA acquisition list if nothing happens with Alonso.

Jesse Winker was not at the top of anyone’s list as a returning player, but things do change.  Between the still vacant DH position, the unsettled Pete Alonso situation and now the hand injury afflicting projected center fielder Jose Siri, it would seem that a known, proven and inexpensive hitter with the aggressive win-now personality in Winker moves up the charts.  He won’t help in CF, but could slot into left field with Brandon Nimmo moving to CF.  A story emerged this week suggesting he return to his roots in Cincinnati.

More than one piece emerged this week positioning the Mets to make a run at Anthony Santander as either a DH or as a corner outfielder which would also have Nimmo moving to his left side.  There is also a strange and never discussed option of inserting Santander at first base where he has started seven games for the Orioles and played in 13 where Alonso used to reside.  As a switch hitting player whose numbers are improving each year he would not be a bad consolation prize though the money some project would match what Alonso declined when a six-year deal was on the table.  

Want one to fuel both your heart rate and your ulcer simultaneously?  More than one piece suggested the Mets carry out a trade for Vlad Guerrero, Jr. right now.  The most interesting one suggest what on the surface appears to be a hefty price as he could still walk away as a free agent at the end of 2025.  It suggest the Mets send Tylor Megill, Ronny Mauricio, Ryan Clifford and Blade Tidwell for at worst a one-year rental of Toronto's current first baseman.  Chew on that one for awhile.  

Another now former Met was in the rumor mill this week with a suggestion that the Milwaukee Brewers having lost a lot of run production in Willy Adames instead make a run at new DH J.D. Martinez.  He's projected for a one-year deal under $10 million which is probably a lower price than he deserves though his 2024 was nothing special as well as concern about his 37 year age. 

With the Mets having done not much regarding enhancing the bullpen, one name that surfaced online this past week was Jakob Junis who quietly put together a pretty sensational 2024 after a good 2023.  The now 32 year old righthander's aggregate numbers make you roll your eyes but the last two years in a row he's been markedly better.  After a 3.87 ERA over 40 games for the Giants in 2023, combined for Cincinnati and Milwaukee he went 4-0 with a 2.69 ERA.  

What is really eye popping over his career is how stingy he is with walks.  In the 24 games during his injury shortened (early part of the year) 2024 the 1.1 walks per 9 IP is almost unbelievable.  However, even during the years when he was getting hit harder he only once in his long career reached the 3.0 plateau in walks in 2019.  It's coming into 2025 and the control trend is getting better and better (as are the WHIP numbers).  He's not blowing people away with strikeouts and it seems that as his 9 inning K average drops to the 6's, his ability to keep people from scoring improves.  He earned $4 million last year and the Brewers paid him a $3 million buyout rather than be on the hook for $8 million.  So if he already has $3 million in his pocket would a $5 million offer appeal to him to bring him back to that now nixed 2025 contract level?

There has been nothing much on the starting pitching front as rotation is what it is with Roki Sasaki not showing as much interest in the Mets as an employer as he is with other teams.