Mets expected to test All-Star's trade market after season
The underachieving New York Mets sold off many of their expensive assets at the trade deadline, but the decimation of a roster that once held the highest payroll in baseball may not be over.
According to Michael Marino of Fantrax, clubs around the Majors expect the Mets to entertain the trade market for All-Star slugger Pete Alonso once the 2023 season is up.
The 28-year-old has one year of arbitration eligibility before he can become a free agent in 2025. Negotiations on a contract extension reportedly "aren't close" and the latest comments from owner Steve Cohen probably won't give Mets fans much hope.
"He's an integral part of the Mets," Cohen said via SNY. "He's still with us for another year. We hope we work things out."
Rumors of a possible trade of Alonso in the near future aren't new. Bob Nightengale of USA Today predicted the Mets would trade Alonso this offseason while also adding Jeff McNeil as a possible trade candidate.
A three-time All-Star and former National League Rookie of the Year, Alonso has quickly become the face of the Mets since making his debut in 2019. Seeing Alonso in a uniform other than that of the Mets may seem unfathomable to the faithful in Flushing, but it may also be a reality soon. After all, those same fans probably didn't see the likes of Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander traded elsewhere ahead of the deadline. However, after failing massively to meet expectations, the Mets seem to be heading in a very different direction than they were at the start of the 2023 season.
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