New York Mets' Rival Engaged in Talks With Pete Alonso

The New York Mets' cross-town rivals are engaged in talks with free agent first baseman Pete Alonso as they look to replace Juan Soto.

Oct 20, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) fields the ball hit by Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Chris Taylor (not pictured) in the sixth inning during game six of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

An eye for an eye?

The New York Mets swiped superstar outfielder Juan Soto away from the New York Yankees last week, and now their cross-town rivals could return the favor.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports, the Yankees are engaged in talks with a slew of free agent first basemen including Pete Alonso, Christian Walker, Paul Goldschmidt and Carlos Santana.

Per Nightengale, the Yankees and Cubs are at a stalemate in their trade talks surrounding first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger. As a result, the Yankees have shifted their focus to the first base market.

Alonso quickly became a homegrown franchise cornerstone for the Mets after making his MLB debut in 2019. Since being called up to the majors, Alonso has the second-most home runs (226) in baseball behind Yankee captain and 2024 AL MVP winner Aaron Judge.

If the Yankees were to land Alonso, they would have the two best power-hitters in the game in the middle of their order in Alonso and Judge.

The Mets have made it clear that they would love to bring Alonso back given how important he is to the franchise. They have continued to stay in contact with Alonso, but the righty slugger is currently testing the free agent market to find out his true value around the league.

Like Soto, Alonso is also represented by agent Scott Boras. The Mets recently agreed to the richest contract in sports history with Soto and Boras, a 15-year, $765 million deal.

Alonso is 30-years-old and seeking a long-term deal in the $200 million range. Re-signing with the Mets will depend on where the organization values him versus the other 29 teams.

Under different representation, Alonso turned down a seven-year, $158 million contract extension during the 2023 season from former Mets GM Billy Eppler. It remains to be seen whether the Mets' current regime is willing to give that amount of years or exceed that mark. This could ultimately be the deciding factor regarding whether Alonso stays with the Mets or not.