Mets need to stop wasting time and bring back Pete Alonso with reported Yankees interest

When the New York Yankees acquired Cody Bellinger in a trade with the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday, it felt as if it was finally time to put the rumors of Pete Alonso winding up in the Bronx to bed. Bellinger felt like the clear solution at first base for New York.

Well, that isn't the case. It was reported that the Yankees plan on using Bellinger in center field, leaving first base wide open. That means that Alonso is once again a Yankees target, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

Rather than risk their crosstown rivals finding a way to land him, the New York Mets should be on high alert trying to bring him back to Queens.

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Cody Bellinger trade should ramp up Mets motivation to re-sign Pete Alonso

The Mets already made the biggest move of the offseason by poaching Juan Soto away from the Yankees, but they should be far from done. Not only do they have holes in their starting rotation and bullpen, but their lineup, even with Soto, could use some work. I mean, Soto said so himself in his Mets introductory presser.

With Soto off the board, Alonso might be the most impactful bat out there. Sure, he's coming off a down year, but still launched 34 home runs in the regular season. He hit five more in the postseason including one of the biggest home runs in the history of the franchise. He's hit at least 40 home runs in three of his other four full seasons (excluding 2020). He's as premier of a power hitter as there is in the game outside of Aaron Judge.

No, the Mets shouldn't want to give Alonso, a 30-year-old first baseman coming off his worst season, a massive long-term deal, but chances are, since he's lasted on the market as long as he has, that deal isn't coming his way. Giving him a shorter-term deal with an inflated AAV and potentially an opt-out or two could potentially be good enough to lure him back to Queens.

If the Yankees are willing to spend a lot more, even after adding Bellinger, Max Fried, and Devin Williams, then Alonso is a target that makes too much sense for them. The Mets need to ensure that doesn't happen by getting him to sign with them sooner rather than later before the Yankees can convince him to jump ship.