Here’s what will happen to Pete Alonso if the Mets sign Freddie Freeman

If Freddie Freeman signs with the New York Mets, that means Pete Alonso is no longer playing first base every day.

Should the New York Mets win the Freddie Freeman sweepstakes in his high-profile free agency, that means a position change is coming for first baseman Pete Alonso.

If Freeman leaves in free agency, Braves Country will turn on Liberty Media. Should he go to their arch rival like Tom Glavine did a generation, history will repeat itself and Atlanta Braves fans will be apoplectic. While there is still time for Liberty Media to get its stuff together and re-sign its franchise cornerstone, how would the Mets go about using Freeman and Alonso defensively?

The idea is Freeman would man first and Alonso would be the Mets’ full-time designated hitter.

New York Mets rumors: Pete Alonso would be new DH if Freddie Freeman signs

Because Alonso has not played any other position in the field in MLB, he would have to go to DH if Freeman joined the Mets. Though he has time to learn a new trade in the field, as he is still in his 20s, that is not going to be possible with next to no spring training and a likely shortened season. Offensively, this signing should work, but it does leave the Mets hampered defensively long-term.

If the Mets pursue Freeman, it means they are probably not in the mix for Kris Bryant, who has shown he can play multiple positions in the field. As New York looks up at Atlanta in the NL East, stealing their franchise cornerstone in free agency will be a crushing blow to Braves Country. However, it is hard to win games when a club is not sound defensively. Alonso has to hit homers.

The optics of Freeman leaving Atlanta for New York are horrendous, but money will always talk.