MLB Rumors: Cardinals dance partner, Mets star off limits, Ohtani asking price

MLB Rumors: Mets active trade deadline won’t involve off-limits Pete Alonso

It’s not necessarily a foregone conclusion that the New York Mets are going to be surprise sellers — at least a surprise in relation to preseason expectations — at the trade deadline. However, with each passing day and with the Mets falling farther out of playoff contention, it seems incredibly likely that would be the case.

However, the big issue that the Mets face is who they will trade. There figures to be a market for outfielders Tommy Pham and Mark Canha, the same of which is true for a number of reliever with little club control remaining. But those deals, while they may help, aren’t going to bring Steve Cohen players who can help the team turn their fortunes around in the near future.

Trading Pete Alonso, one of the best power hitters in baseball, could do that, however. But if you’re a Mets fan worried about that happening, you can stop fretting. According to a report from Andy Martino of SNY, Alonso is essentially off-limits in any trade talks for the Mets as they don’t have any plans to move the start first baseman.

The case for trading Alonso isn’t difficult to see. He would return the most lucrative trade package to New York at the deadline and, as of now, he’s only under contract for one more season after this year with the club. It’s clear, though, that Cohen and Billy Eppler plan on keeping Alonso as part of the team’s core well beyond that.

With Alonso not on the table at the trade deadline, though, Cohen and the Mets might have to get a bit creative or try to package multiple trade chips together if they want to bring back a return package that is truly going to move the needle for the organization moving forward.