Mets have Pete Alonso backup plan on their radar that should make the star 1B nervous

Pete Alonso and the New York Mets are engaged in an offseason game of chicken that feels endless at this point. Alonso wants more money than the Mets have been willing to offer him, and the Mets only appear to want Alonso at their price.

Perhaps the biggest reason why this stare-down is continuing to take place is because both sides desperately need each other. Alonso, very clearly, has not been able to do any better than the Mets offer which he and agent Scott Boras deemed unacceptable. Teams, understandably, lack much interest in a first baseman whose best days might be behind him and is fairly limited in terms of skillset.

On the flip side, the Mets could really use a bat of Alonso's caliber to hit behind Juan Soto in their lineup if they truly want to have any chance of competing against a team like the Los Angeles Dodgers in October. Even if they choose to let Alonso land elsewhere, they could use a more proven bat than the likes of Brett Baty, Luisangel Acuña, and Ronny Mauricio who figure to see more playing time at the MLB level if Alonso departs and the Mets do nothing to replace him.

Spencer Torkelson was recently revealed to be an external corner infield option that the Mets are interested in, but if we're being completely honest, Torkelson fits better in the same category of younger, unproven hitters that the Mets already have. New York's latest target, though, Ryan Mountcastle, makes a lot more sense as a fit for the Mets and could make Alonso nervous in the process.

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Ryan Mountcastle-Mets interest might be what gets Pete Alonso to make long-awaited decision

When it comes to Alonso backup plans, Mountcastle is probably as good as it gets when looking at realistic options (no, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is not getting traded). The 27-year-old is not the power threat Alonso is, but has been an above-average hitter in each of his four full MLB seasons, should hit for more power away from the formerly pitcher-friendly (for right-handed hitters) Camden Yards, and offers a lot more defensive value than Alonso does. Mountcastle would come with two years of club control and is making a reasonable $6.7 million in 2025. He wouldn't cost nothing in a trade, but also wouldn't make much of a dent in New York's improving farm to acquire.

If Torkelson was the only external option that the Mets were linked to, Alonso would have reason to think New York would crack and come back crawling to him. Torkelson might have potential, but he has been mostly subpar at the MLB level, and the Mets don't have much in terms of proven talent internally. Mountcastle, on the other hand, might not have Alonso's ceiling, but would be a perfectly capable short-term fill-in for Alonso at first base.

If the Mets were to move on, Alonso would be even more stuck than he is right now. Would the Toronto Blue Jays be willing to give him anything more than the Mets were willing to after all of the moves they've made? Are the Los Angeles Angels seriously interested in pursuing him? Those are the only two teams outside of the Mets who have even been linked to the slugging first baseman recently.

Again, both sides need each other. The Mets can't realistically do better than Alonso right now, and Alonso is having trouble finding other suitors. With that being said, the Mets have a much better pivot in Mountcastle than Alonso does with any other team. Perhaps the Mountcastle interest will be enough leverage for Alonso to come crawling back to Stearns and Co. before it's too late. If not, and the Mets go through with a Mountcastle trade, Alonso will be in a tougher spot than he's already in.