New York Mets Viewed as 'Possibility' For Superstar in Free Agency, Per Insider

The New York Mets are viewed as a "possibility" for this AL club's superstar that will become a free agent in the offseason.

Aug 12, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (2) hits a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the first inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets will have some tough decisions to make in the offseason.

Will they retain first baseman Pete Alonso? Are they going to be serious suitors for superstar outfielder Juan Soto?

And there is another free agent they could go after beyond Alonso and Soto, and that's current Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman.

MLB insider Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic views Bregman as a "possibility" for the Mets if they don't think Mark Vientos has a future at the hot corner.

"The market for third basemen should be interesting," per Rosenthal. "Besides the Astros and Giants, the teams with obvious needs include the Mariners, Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Yankees, presuming they move Jazz Chisholm Jr. to second as a replacement for Gleyber Torres. The Mets also could be a possibility, if they don’t view Mark Vientos as a long-term answer."

The Mets and Yankees will already likely be duking it out for Soto. They could also wind up doing the same for Bregman.

Vientos has had a breakout year for the Mets in 2024, slashing .275/.333/.557 with a .890 OPS, 19 home runs and 48 RBIs in 73 games. The 24-year-old has emerged as a franchise cornerstone, but the question is whether he will be able to play third base for the foreseeable future.

Many rival scouts predicted Vientos' power to translate to the big-leagues, which it certainly has. However, talent evaluators have projected him more as a first baseman/DH in the majors.

Vientos has -4 Outs Above Average at third this season, which ranks 36th in the league, per Baseball Savant. Bregman holds 5 OAA, the fourth-best mark in baseball.

So, let's say the Mets keep Alonso on a long-term deal, but let J.D. Martinez walk. They could also ink Bregman, 30, to a mega deal and slide him in at third base. This would allow the team to move Vientos to DH, where he can focus on swinging the bat and provide depth at the corner infield positions as well.

In an additional scenario, should Alonso depart, Vientos could become the Mets' first baseman and then the team could allocate funds to bringing in Bregman to play third.