Mets not calling up Alonso

CHICAGO — If Peter Alonso is their first baseman of the future, the Mets will have to wait until 2019 to start finding out.

With rosters set to expand beginning Saturday, general manager John Ricco indicated that Alonso will not be joining the Mets as a September call-up, as the team evaluates Jay Bruce and Dominic Smith at first base and also continues to give Wilmer Flores action at the position.

Alonso entered Tuesday with 33 homers and 111 RBIs this season split between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Las Vegas. Alonso also electrified at the All-Star Futures Game with a mammoth home run at Nationals Park.

“He has had an unbelievable season, he has done everything we have asked, he had a great year in Double-A, moving up to Triple-A, he’s having a real good year, but the way we see it, the lack of playing time is a big factor,” Ricco said. “We are going to have Dom Smith, Jay Bruce and we’ll have Wilmer all playing some first base and to have Pete come up and just sit when we looked at it didn’t make a lot of sense.”

The 23-year-old Alonso isn’t required to be placed on the 40-man roster this offseason for protection from the Rule 5 draft, another factor in the Mets’ decision to wait until spring training before giving him look. By not giving Alonso a 40-man roster spot, the Mets can protect an additional player.

“We would have loved to reward him for the season he’s had and the work he’s done, but we think it’s more beneficial for him to get some rest and we’ll see what the fall plan will be for him,” Ricco said.

“There’s pros and cons to bringing a player up, one of them being if you bring him up you get to see him, and get some of the firsts out of the way. We didn’t contemplate enough playing time to warrant the call-up at this time.”

Smith, who will return Saturday or shortly thereafter, has struggled in previous stints with the Mets, but also hasn’t received consistent playing time. And that doesn’t figure to change in a crowded first base and outfield mix.