Mets 'Engaged' in Talks With First Baseman Paul Goldschmidt

The New York Mets are reportedly looking at a potential backup plan at first base if Pete Alonso departs in free agency.

May 17, 2022; New York City, New York, USA; St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (46) rounds second base after hitting a solo home run during the eighth inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

If the New York Mets lose Pete Alonso, the bird might be the word at first base.

Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports, the Mets are "engaged in talks" with another free agent first baseman in former St. Louis Cardinal Paul Goldschmidt. Even if he's a shell of his former self, Goldschmidt is said to have lured a variety of suitors, as Nightengale included the New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, and Washington Nationals among the teams that are in on him.

An increasing number of observers believe that the Mets are destined for a reunion with the free agent Alonso, but Goldschmidt is among the top backup plans on the market, especially with Christian Walker inking a new deal with the Houston Astros on Friday.

Goldschmidt, who turned 37 in September, hit .245 with 22 home runs and 65 runs batted in during his fifth season as a Redbird. While all those numbers were full-season lows for the former Arizona Diamondback, they would've ranked fifth, fifth, and sixth respectively among last year's Mets regulars.

Any Goldschmidt deal would likely be a short one-year, stopgap affair but he clearly carries some lingering value: the five-time Gold Glove award winner is just two seasons removed from winning the National League MVP award and he has smacked 113 home runs since 2021, the 18th-most in the majors in that span.

Goldschmidt affirmed his commitment to the 2025 season in an interview with John Denton of MLB.com.

“I still feel [quick at the plate], but the stats don’t lie because I haven’t performed the way I wanted,” Goldschmidt said in September. “There are some stats that show that I’m still swinging hard and running fast, but there’s no denying I haven’t played well.

“After the year, I’ll make more [adjustments]. Sometimes, it just takes time, and I think I’ve created some bad habits with my swing and I haven’t been able to break those. One of the things I’ve done in my career is be consistent. I haven’t had maybe the top-end talent of some guys, but I have been consistent. I think I’m still capable of that. That’s on me, and there are no excuses.”

Despite a year that indicated a steady decline for Goldschmidt, the right-handed slugger was on fire in his final 30 games of the regular season, slashing .330/.370/.550 with a .920 OPS, three homers and 15 RBIs in 109 at-bats.

Could this vintage level of production carry over for Goldschmidt into the 2025 season? The team that ultimately signs him sure will hope so. Whether that's the Mets likely depends on whether they retain Alonso.