Latest Mets first-base plans won't have fans feeling any better about Pete Alonso stalemate

The New York Mets are in an interesting spot. On one hand, they've made it abundantly clear that they have no interest in paying longtime first baseman Pete Alonso more than what they believe he's worth. On another hand, they lack realistic alternatives if Alonso were to depart. Sure, he might have his shortcomings as a player, and it might not be ideal to meet his asking price, but he's still one of the premier power hitters in the game. He'd be a tough hitter to replace.

SI's Pat Ragazzo reported on Friday that the Mets are considering making a trade for Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson as a potential Alonso fallback option. If Torkelson is the best option they're considering, Mets fans won't feel any better about Alonso's potential departure.

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Spencer Torkelson is as underwhelming of a Pete Alonso fallback option as it gets

There's some real upside with Torkelson that must be addressed. He hit 31 home runs and drove in 94 runs for the Tigers in 2023. He's a better defender than Alonso. He'd also come with four years of cheap club control. Unfortunately, that's about it.

Torkelson followed up his breakout 2023 campaign with a dismal 2024 season. He slashed .219/.295/.374 with 10 home runs and 37 RBI in 92 games. He spent a substantial amount of time in the minor leagues thanks to his struggles. Is this really the kind of player that the Mets - a team that should be aggressively pursuing a World Series championship - want to bank on?

Torkelson can potentially thrive in a change of scenery, but that's far from a guarantee. He would, in theory, compete with guys like Brett Baty, Luisangel Acuña, and Ronny Mauricio for playing time. All four of those players have potential, but have not had much success at the MLB level.

If the Mets are set on moving on from Alonso, it'd be easier for David Stearns and Co. to sell the fan base on a free agent like Alex Bregman. If his ask is unrealistic, perhaps a trade for Nolan Arenado or even Yandy Diaz could be considered. Letting one of the most prolific power hitters in the franchise's history walk only to then turn around and replace him with a player who couldn't stick around on a Tigers team that was starved for offense for much of the 2024 season would undoubtedly be a bad look.

David Stearns' hit rate on the risks he took in 2024 was excellent, but that does not mean every risk he takes will pay off. Letting Alonso walk to take a risk of this magnitude will be a tough sell to any Mets fan.