NEWSLETTER
At the Trade Deadline, the New York Mets kinda-sorta made first baseman Pete Alonso available, but most reporting had it that they were going to move him only if they got a truly monster offer.
Although that didn’t happen, it sounds like there were some semi-serious trade talks with the Brewers, and the Cubs were involved, too:
The Brewers, who entered Tuesday ranked last in the majors in OPS at both first base and DH, spoke with the Mets about Alonso before and after acquiring Carlos Santana from the Pirates on July 27. Brewers officials understood they would need to part with at least one of their top five prospects for Alonso. One Milwaukee source said the talks advanced to the point where the teams were within “field-goal range” of a trade.
A Mets official disputed the characterization that a deal with the Brewers was within reach, saying the conversations never accelerated to that level. Other teams, including the Cubs, also spoke to the Mets about Alonso. But from the Mets’ perspective, no deal was ever close.
I’m glad to hear that the Cubs were at least talking to the Mets about Alonso, who was an obvious fit at the deadline for so many reasons. I’m not surprised a deal didn’t come together, but it does make you wonder whether the sides will re-engage after the season. Alonso is headed into his walk year in 2024, and the Mets may decide to make a trade if an extension isn’t going to happen (and an extension doesn’t sound particularly close).
Without a DEFINITE first base option in place for 2024 (Matt Mervis is still a “maybe”), the Cubs will almost certainly check back in with the Mets in the offseason on Alonso, depending on how the rest of their moves shake out. You’d love to have that power bat in the lineup, and you could figure out how to accommodate all of Alonso, Cody Bellinger, and Pete Crow-Armstrong when the time comes. It’s not something I’d worry about when figuring out whether to acquire an offensive player like Alonso.
He does have one thing going for him: he already knows how to troll the Cardinals.
