Dark horse Pete Alonso trade suitor would be setting the Mets up for failure

Pete Alonso could be the best player and brand name dealt at the 2024 MLB trade deadline. While Alonso is open to a future in Queens, trading him away would limit the potential of a reunion with the Mets. Steve Cohen, David Stearns and Co. know this.

Still, Alonso offers perhaps the best return of any player on the roster should the Mets sell, and this is an organization that is more than one move away from World Series caliber. The Mets remain in the NL Wild Card chase, just 3.5 games out of the third spot as of this writing. However, the number of teams ahead of them is quite large, and the Mets aren't built to make noise in the 2024 postseason.

Jim Bowden, a former GM who write for The Athletic, believes Alonso will be dealt. Bowden listed any number of teams that could be interested, including a potential dark horse in the Minnesota Twins.

"Pete Alonso is expected to be the biggest power bat traded at the deadline. The Astros, Mariners, Yankees, Giants, Cubs and Twins are possible landing spots for the three-time All-Star. If the Mets trade Alonso, they will still make a concerted effort to re-sign him this offseason. They love the Polar Bear, and he loves New York," Bowden wrote.

Could the Minnesota Twins pull off a trade for Pete Alonso?

To Bowden's point, the Mets will try to re-sign Alonso after getting what they can for him this summer. The plan makes sense in theory, but rarely works out in real life. By trading Alonso away the Mets are forfeiting their right to negotiate with him in-season.

The Twins are in the AL Wild Card chase, sitting well behind the AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians. Minnesota could use some firepower at first base, as Carlos Santana is top of the depth chart. This is no shot at Santana necessarily, but Alonso is a clear upgrade at the position. At the very worst, Alonso could be a part-time DH while splitting time at first.

Minnesota is all-in, paying a substantial amount of money to Carlos Correa and others. For a mid-market team, this is the Twins version of going for it. Adding Alonso, even on a short-term basis, will work in their favor if they're able to pull it off.