Mets rumors: 3 players who weren’t traded at the deadline, but will be this offseason
By Josh Wilson
The Mets sold at the deadline, but there will be more selling to do this offseason. Here are players that are almost certain to get moved as the strategy changes.
The New York Mets aren’t just shifting gears, they are moving their locomotive to a new track entirely. Team owner Steve Cohen has admitted that the strategy of spending more than everyone else hasn’t worked. Sustainable competition is what the team is after now.
To do that, Cohen has already signaled that they will need to build up a pipeline of strong, youthful talent. With that, the team has already acquired several prospects in trades they made before the MLB trade deadline this week, but they can still make more moves.
This offseason, expect these players to say goodbye to the Mets.
Mets who weren’t traded but will be: Pete Alonso
Let’s just get this one out of the way straightaway, shall we? Most Mets fans already understand this to be the case, but Pete Alonso is almost certain to be moved this offseason.
Alonso, who is under team control all of next year, has struggled at points this season, putting up a .222 batting average and his worst on-base percentage of his career at .313. With 31 home runs, his slug has remained tenable and made his overall OPS look fine, but there have been serious dark points to Alonso’s plate performance this year.
Regardless of those struggles, teams will look at Alonso’s age and past performance and buy right into what the Mets have to sell. He’s a slugger who can completely change the tune of your offense when he’s hot, and his fielding is… fine. He’s an exact average defender at first base according to Statcast’s outs above average metric.
Alonso will be moved because he’ll net the Mets exactly what they need: More prospects to add to the pipeline.
While other big names like Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Lindor might be safe because their contract length could have them still in Queens by the time the seeds start to bloom on the youth pipeline, Alonso’s contract length just doesn’t jive with the new strategy the Mets are going with.