Pete Alonso is still in free agency, and with no concrete developments, the Mets seem to be moving away from him. Alonso’s agent Scott Boras is still playing hardball around Alonso and Alex Bregman, leaving both without a team despite the spring season knocking on the door. And after Alonso rejected the Mets’ $70 million offer, the team is now looking for other options. So are there any big names available as free-agency alternatives to Alonso?

Well, there are options with the younger talents who can prove their worth. The Mets could also look at a veteran as a potential replacement for Alonso, who is available at a bare minimum price: Jose Iglesias! He already played for the Mets last year and can be the most effective replacement for Alonso. Now, it would take an extensive shuffling of the base positions to come up with the options for replacing Alonso; taking Iglesias will not solve the first baseman gap as he plays at 2B.

So, getting Mark Vientos from 3B to 1B, relocating Iglesias to 2B, and Baty to 3B could create formidable base positions for the Mets. Moreover, for the Mets, both Mark Vientos and Brett Baty are worthy rookies, and they can excel at their new positions. However, the chance of Iglesias replicating his last year’s performance is not guaranteed considering he is 35 now and already past his prime. For the unversed, he is coming up with a strong 2024 performance, batting at .337/.381/.448 with 4 home runs and 26 RBI. 

“I think having a veteran would just help make things feel more solid,” Mets insider Joe Demayo noted on the SNY podcast. So, apart from the performance figures, Iglesias will also be effective in offering stability and reliability in the lineup, and someone experienced like him will be effective in guiding the young talents at the bases. Iglesias, having Scott Boras as his agent, is available for $1.7 million for one year.

Boras is infamous for making outrageous deals but got an exception here, and while Alonso is asking for $100 million, $1.7 million is what it takes to get Iglesias. While Iglesias is no match to Alonso in terms of power-hitting, his meagre price is making him a potent short-run solution for the Mets. The Mets are also looking to tap into his experience, and not being interested solely based on performance is also going on Iglesias’ way. 

The Mets’ roadmap with Pete Alonso

Even with no evidence of Alonso shaking hands with the Mets for now, the talks are still on with Boras. Last year, Alonso played all 162 games and was only the second player in the Mets’ history to do this. He ended the year with 34 HRs and 88 RBIs; so, it will take time for the Mets to replace someone with this caliber. Moreover, Pete Alonso is yet to get his new home, which is also a ray of hope for the Mets if they can make him back. Thus, it might not be over between the two.

The Blue Jays have signed Anthony Santander for $92.5 million and are on the verge of crossing the luxury tax threshold of $261 million. So, fans are still wondering if they have any scope for another $100 million, leaving Alonso with a limited window of opportunity. On the Mets’ part, they got Juan Soto and are now looking for Iglesias in their squad, conveying their lack of desperation to get Alonso, and Boras’ hardball approach is no longer acceptable to them. 

From the Met’s perspective, Iglesias can be a potent replacement for Alonso, but they need to come up with a long-term solution in between. Nevertheless, getting Alonso back is still the best option left for the Mets that the fans have been long asking for. What do you think about the Mets going without Pete Alonso? Share your comment below.