Overview
- Multiple reports cite an expectation that New York will float Jeff McNeil in trade talks and allow Pete Alonso to leave unless he accepts a team-friendly deal.
- Alonso entered free agency after opting out and is coming off a resurgent 2025, hitting .272/.347/.524 with 38 home runs, 126 RBIs and a 141 wRC+.
- He is ineligible for a qualifying offer this winter, removing draft-pick compensation and making a deal simpler for outside suitors.
- The Mets’ posture reflects concerns about long-term value for a bat-first first baseman with below-average defensive metrics and aligns with David Stearns’ track record of avoiding lengthy, high-risk contracts.
- Coverage identifies Josh Naylor as a potential lower-cost alternative at first base, with projections around three years and $52.5 million and stronger recent contact and defensive indicators.