The Polar Bear might finally be ending his tenure with the New York Mets. Though Steve Cohen hasn’t made an official announcement about Pete Alonso departing, reports of a last-ditch offer being rejected by the slugger’s camp, and the Mets adding another bat on a year-deal, seem to suggest we won’t be seeing Alonso lineup with Juan Soto. The focus now turns on the Blue Jays, who might lose their star homegrown star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to the Mets but are in the fray to land Alonso.

After securing Soto from across town, the Mets fans would have been hoping to re-sign Alonso so that their World Series aspirations would be a serious proposition. But the way things are going, it is looking difficult that we will see that happen. The Mets have shown interest in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and are looking to have suitable options for a trade deal, that could see them bolster their ranks as they prepare for a championship assault. But how is the mood in the Mets camp over this?

Joe Benigno joined Evan and Tiki on Wednesday to talk about Alonso’s standoff with the franchise and directed his blame toward owner Steve Cohen.

He said, “Do I want Pete back? Of course. The boy genius, Stearns(GM David Stearns)…doesn’t want him back and the guy that I blame is the owner. I thought Steve Cohen had a feel for the fanbase. Now it’s ‘We’re gonna get Vlad Guerrero.’ You know what? Screw Vlad Guerrero. I want my guy.” Despite being a talented player, with a .289 career batting average, Guerrero Jr.’s potential move to the Mets has come under scrutiny.

The decision to sign him brings questions related to priorities. Is it for an established future and going for immediate success? With Soto in their ranks, they will believe the time to contend is now. Adding a star like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. if only for just a year gives them a chance to compete with the Dodgers for the National League crown.

When he took over the Mets in 2020, Cohen said he would like his side to win a World Series in the next 3-5 years, while that hasn’t happened yet, he is making the right moves. Signing Soto on a $765 million 15-year contract suggests he is ambitious enough and desperately wants the Mets to add to their two World Series titles. But is not re-signing one of your biggest assets the right way to go about it?

“I’m tired of it. From Tom Seaver to Darryl Strawberry to Ray Knight to Kevin Mitchell to Daniel Murphy to David Cone to Zack Wheeler to Rusty Staub, I’ve lost every big that I’ve had on my team with the exception of David Wright.”

Darryl Strawberry played eight seasons with the Mets and led them to a World Series championship in 1986, the team’s first title in almost two decades. However, he played for four more seasons, before leaving and signing a $20.25 million deal with the Dodgers in free agency. The contract made him the second-highest-paid player in MLB at that time. The Mets had the chance to re-sign him but their offer of $15.5 million was less than what the Dodgers were ready to pay. That time Frank Cashen served as the GM of the Mets.

“Whether it was that stiff M. Donald Grant, whether it was that stiff Frank Cashen, who we know was the GM of the championship team, decided to destroy the team and said Darryl Strawberry wasn’t a 5 million dollar ball player, whether it was that stiff…now Steve Cohen is doing the same thing and I’m beyond livid,” Benigno added.

Last week, the New York Times reported that the Mets made Alonso a three-year contract in the $68 million-$70 million range. However, that was turned down by the slugger’s camp and the franchise moved to re-sign Jessie Winker for a one-year $7.5 million contract. Alonso was looking for more, but the Mets believed that the gap was too much for them to close. As such his future remains in the air.

Alonso is a four-time All-Star and one of the best power hitters in baseball and has expressed a desire to stay with the Mets, but now other possibilities are emerging.

The Blue Jays are the most interested in recruiting the player, while the Giants and Angels are also reportedly exploring Alonso’s availability.

SNY’s Andy Martino reported on Thursday that talks between Alonso and the Blue Jays are advancing, though there is no guarantee that a deal will be finalized. On the same day, Tim Healy of Newsday reported that Alonso and the Toronto Blue Jays are in “deep talks” for a contract. According to reports the Blue Jays are looking to sign Alonso to a four-year, $100 million contract and pair him with recently signed Anthony Santander and  Vladimir Guerrero Jr. though the Mets might want to have a say in that.

Mets’ chances of signing Guerrero Jr.

The Mets are lurking as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. remains uncertain about his future in Toronto. If the Blue Jays don’t sign him to a contract extension before the new season,  it’s possible they will look to trade him. He said that he wants to remain with the franchise if they match his demands. However, in December Guerrero Jr. said, “What they offered me is not even close to what I’m looking for.”

If no deal can be reached, the Jays want a package consisting of major league players and top prospects exceeding what the San Diego Padres landed from the New York Yankees for Juan Soto, to trade him. As such only a handful of teams are capable of fulfilling this condition and it includes the Mets.

The Mets have an abundance of young talent and they are one of the few teams that could offer Toronto the chance to build a team for the future without damaging their own long-term potential.

Mark Vientos is one name that could headline the package from the Mets. Any deal from the Mets will have to carry Vientos, who is a big-league-ready third baseman. The other names in the deal could include Jett Williams, Ronny Mauricio, and Starling Marte in exchange for the 25-year-old Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Will Steve Cohen go down that road? Well, if Alonso is not returning, Cohen will have to ensure that the team is still capable enough for a title challenge and Guerrero’s inclusion gives them that edge. Another sensational move for a rising star will make it clear to the Mets fans like Joe Benigno, that he means business.

What do you think awaits?