Jon Heyman TRADING PLACES?
Alonso to Bronx, Soto to Queens not too crazy
IS IT possible slugging superstars Pete Alonso of the Mets and Juan Soto of the Yankees trade places this winter?
While the most probable scenario has one or both star free agents staying put, the possibility of the megastars swapping teams shouldn’t be considered completely fanciful.
We’ve long heard the Mets may well go for Soto, especially if things don’t come together quickly with Alonso. And if the Mets do sign Soto, Alonso becomes the logical fallback option for the Yankees, especially since even team owner Steve Cohen probably won’t sign both in his 110 percent tax situation. And under those circumstances, word is the Yankees would seriously consider Alonso.
While Cohen very politely didn’t go for Yankees homegrown hero and American League home run record-holder Aaron Judge two winters ago, there’s no etiquette about staying away from a rental, even a mega-star rental such as Soto. That said, the Yankees will make Soto their “top priority,” according to sources — no surprise since they loved him in winter and likely love him even more now that he has transformed their lineup.
The Yankees, in fact, seem primed to make a record offer if you count Shohei Ohtani’s $700M deal as $462M based on deferrals/net present value. Soto is not only an on-base machine (an AL best .478) that’s brought the Yankees back to Bronx Bomber status, he’s already bonding with Yankee fans, thanks to an enthusiastic demeanor.
But if the Mets somehow outbid the Yankees for Soto (possible since Cohen is MLB’s richest owner), Alonso makes sense in The Bronx as not just the only one who could approximate Soto’s production but someone who can handle New York.
The Mets are expected to make a run at Alonso first, of course. However, the widely held belief is new baseball president David Stearns emphasizes age in free agency, which is only smart — Stearns (and everyone else) coveted 25-year-old Japanese star Yoshinobu Yamamoto — so Soto at 25 compared to Alonso at 29 actually may be more to his liking.
Of course, the other factor is the fans, and Mets fans hope Alonso stays forever. Stearns made cool, calculated deals to sustain winning in small-market Milwaukee (see Josh Hader), and Cohen wisely pivoted from Cooperstown-bound pitchers Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. But if anyone thinks the Stearns-Cohen Mets won’t consider the thoughts of fans, well, as one rival pointed out, cold logic would have sent Alonso away this winter as the Mets headed into an alleged transition season.
Cohen didn’t buy the team to become less popular, and he surely understands the loss of Alonso wouldn’t be well-received. He could change the story, of course, by signing Soto, but considering Soto’s probable preference for pinstripes, he might have to outbid the Yankees by a lot, to the point where Alonso might actually become the better bargain.
One more thing to consider: Alonso consistently says he loves the Mets — and there’s no reason to doubt him — but it’s also clear he’s always taken the business side seriously, going year-to-year contractually even before hiring mega-agent Scott Boras, who’s known for maximizing value.
But while Alonso is a unique player — his 198 homers since debuting in 2019 lead MLB — the first-base market is unpredictable. Prince Fielder, Joey Votto and Albert Pujols signed for $200M-plus years ago, but the Mets are sure to note recent deals, including Paul Goldschmidt ($130M), Freddie Freeman ($162M, deferrals) and Matt Olson ($168M). It’s fair to note
Freeman was two years older, Goldschmidt a year from free agency, and Olson not only two years away but also escaping Oakland for his hometown powerhouse Braves team. The Alonso camp surely prefers to mention free agents around 30, like Anthony Rendon ($245M) and Xander Bogaerts ($285M).
The Cubs, who’ve shown interest in Alonso, may have found their first baseman in Michael Busch, but the Giants, Mariners, Astros and Rangers could be candidates to sign Alonso. The best outside option for Alonso, though, is probably the Yankees.