The New York Mets reached the National League Championship Series in 2024 in large part due to a clutch home run by their fan favorite first baseman, Pete Alonso.
Now a free agent, Alonso has lingered on the market while many of his peers (Christian Walker, Josh Bell, et.al.) have found new homes. The Mets remain as the most likely landing spot for Alonso, but he's running out of time. Spring training activities begin in a month.
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Against this backdrop, the Mets are leaving no stone unturned in considering potential alternatives to Alonso. Among the most intriguing: Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
According to Andy Martino of SNY: "the Mets have spoken with the Toronto Blue Jays this winter about Guerrero, league sources say, though those sources characterized the conversations as "checking in."
Guerrero is entering the final year of his tenure in Toronto before he is eligible for free agency. Although he's engaged in talks about a contract extension, the sides were reported to be far apart in December.
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Guerrero, 25, hit 30 home runs and drove in 103 in 2024, batting .323. He finished sixth in American League MVP voting, made his fourth consecutive All-Star team and won his second Silver Slugger Award at first base.
It's not implausible that the Jays would decide to trade Guerrero if they cannot sign him to a long-term extension. However, they might prefer to delay that decision until the trade deadline, and only follow up with interested teams like the Mets if they fall out of contention.
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Toronto was never in the playoff hunt in 2024, when they finished last in the American League East at 74-88. This offseason has seen the Blue Jays strike out on a number of high profile free agents (Juan Soto, Corbin Burnes) while joining the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres in the group of finalists for Roki Sasaki.
As Martino notes, "it is far from certain that Guerrero will even be available in a trade, or that the Mets will have room left in the budget after signing other hitters and relievers."
Still, any deal involving Guerrero would be a blockbuster, and Alonso's conspicuous lack of a contract makes the Mets a fit. It should come as no surprise the Mets checked in.
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