The New York Mets’ only goal right now is persuading a certain superstar outfielder to relocate to Queens. Juan Soto is one of New York’s top priorities this offseason, and the rest of the offseason (and Steve Cohen’s budget) will not be clear until we know where Soto will sign and for how much.
Even if the Mets pull off the coup of a lifetime and sign Soto as their right fielder, the team’s work will not be over. They still need to fill up the majority of their rotation, strengthen their bullpen, and deal with their own high-priced slugger, first baseman Pete Alonso. It’s a credit to Soto’s ability to dominate headlines that Alonso’s own free agency has gone relatively unnoticed, but make no mistake: You don’t simply replace 34 home runs in the center of your lineup.
So, how should New York handle its first-base question? According to recent sources, Stearns is hesitant to give Alonso the long-term contract he seeks, which is understandable given that right-handed first basemen on the wrong side of 30 do not have the most stable player profiles. However, filling the position through free agency isn’t particularly appealing – following Alonso, the options are either Christian Walker or hope that Paul Goldschmidt still has something left in the tank.
What if Stearns could address this problem without adding a first baseman? What if he was a little creative on the trading market and took advantage of a distressed asset with an NL competitor?
Could Nolan Arenado be the Mets’ Plan B if Pete Alonso leaves in free agency?
The St. Louis Cardinals are a team in transition, hoping to free up as much salary and playing time for their younger players as possible without completely tanking. According to Katie Woo of The Athletic, St. Louis is open to the notion of trading its star third baseman, and Arenado appears to be the top target. A 33-year-old commencing his decline with three years left on his nine-year, $275 million contract isn’t worth much to a team that isn’t sure how quickly it will return to contention.
But Arenado would be valuable to a team like the Mets, who hope to win the World Series in 2025. Obviously, Arenado plays third base, not first. However, New York’s current third baseman, Mark Vientos, is a bit stretched defensively at the hot corner. Vientos gets credit for improving his glove in 2024, but he remains below-average at the position, and moving him across the field to first would allow New York to upgrade at third while preserving Vientos’ impressive bat in the lineup.
