MLB Rumors: Pete Alonso trade update, Red Sox aggressive, Blue Jays selling

MLB Rumors: Major changes could be ahead for the Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays are a team many expect to make noise each and every year and they fail to meet the lofty expectations. They've finished over .500 in each of the last four seasons and have made the postseason in three of those four years, but have not won a playoff game since 2016. Nearly a decade.

The Blue Jays have run with their core led by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette for six seasons now, but have had no meaningful success. Despite rostering one of the best pitching staffs in the majors this season, Toronto has gotten off to a 15-18 start entering play on Saturday. Eventually, something has to change. According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal (subscription required), those changes might be coming.

"A reckoning is nearly at hand."

The Jays have already tried blaming their shortcomings on the manager by firing Charlie Montoyo in the middle of the 2022 season. With John Schneider at the helm, nothing has changed. Eventually, someone else has to take the blame, whether it's the players or GM Ross Atkins.

They have one of the best pitching staffs in the majors but as was the case last season, their offense has lagged behind. It's hard for the Jays to consider selling with how good their pitching staff is, but with how bleak their long-term outlook is, that might be the best play. Rosenthal outlines what that might look like.

"The Jays, then, will not give up on the season easily. But they have yet to sign Bo Bichette or Vladimir Guerrero Jr. long-term, and might not even want Guerrero on such a deal at this point. Their free agents after this season include Yusei Kikuchi, Justin Turner, Kevin Kiermaier and Danny Jansen— mostly complementary parts. But their free agents after 2025, hoo boy. Chris Bassitt. Bichette and Guerrero. Jordan Romano and a number of other relievers."

Their franchise cornerstones, Guerrero and Bichette, are not locked in long-term. If things don't change, perhaps one or both of them can go. They have several key pieces hitting the open market within the next couple of years. If things don't change quickly, some or all of them can go.

It'll be tough for Atkins and team president Mark Shapiro to make massive changes as they'd be admitting defeat, but what other choice do they have? Running back the same thing and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. They shouldn't be seen as clear sellers yet, but if things continue to trend in the wrong direction, the reckoning Rosenthal hints at could take place.

MLB Rumors: Red Sox seen as potential buyers at trade deadline

The Boston Red Sox have been one of, if not the biggest surprises to begin the 2024 season. They were a team expected by most to finish last in the AL East, yet enter play on Saturday with a record of 18-15 despite a slew of injuries to a large portion of their best players.

Their pitching staff which was one of the worst last season is now the best in baseball by a wide margin posting a staff ERA of 2.69. The Andrew Bailey effect is real.

With Boston's surprisingly good start, MLB Insider Jon Heyman pegs them as potential trade deadline buyers. That's not something we would've expected to hear, especially after how they operated over the offseason.

"To me at this point, they do not look like a seller."

Heyman makes sure to emphasize that it's early and things can change, but with how they're playing now, he sees them as a buyer. That makes a ton of sense. If this pitching sustains, the Red Sox will find themselves with a chance to win every single night. With enough offense and a good bullpen, they can be a team nobody will want to face.

If the Red Sox are still playing as well as they are now around the trade deadline, we'll see if their ownership is willing to part with the prospects and spend the money necessary to build a legitimate contender. Again, it's early, but the fact this is even being discussed shows how surprisingly well Boston has played.

MLB Rumors: Pete Alonso 'Isn't too likely to be traded'

Ever since Pete Alonso's name surprisingly surfaced at the 2023 trade deadline, fans of the 29 other teams have been drawing up mock trades that would send the Polar Bear to their favorite team. Who can blame them? Alonso is one of the best power hitters in the league. In fact, since entering the league in 2019, he has led all of MLB in home runs (200) and RBI (514) despite playing at a pitcher-friendly ballpark on some subpar Mets teams.

Alonso being in rumors makes some sense considering the fact that he is set to hit free agency at the end of the season and an extension is unlikely, but Jon Heyman says that a deal is unlikely.

"The belief today is Pete Alonso isn’t too likely to be traded. That doesn’t mean the Mets won’t listen again, though."

In reality, the New York Mets have little reason to trade their first baseman. The team enters play on Saturday with a 16-16 record which might not look great on the surface, but that's despite facing a tough schedule, with the team getting subpar production from players like Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Lindor, and the team being without its ace, Kodai Senga.

This Mets team can compete for a postseason spot. Whether they get in remains to be seen, but they should be in the thick of the race. Assuming that is the case, why would they trade Alonso when they could squeak in?

Sure, it might be a bit risky for New York to keep Alonso around with him hitting free agency this winter, but they've done that before. They let both Brandon Nimmo and Edwin Diaz test the market in 2022 and wound up re-signing them both. They have the richest owner in the sport, Steve Cohen. The Mets can simply top whatever offer Alonso gets and not think twice, if that's what David Stearns believes is best.

Heyman makes sure to note that the Mets being unlikely to deal him now does not mean they'll refuse to listen at all. If a team approaches the Mets with a godfather offer, sure, the Mets can and should consider. Barring that, they have little reason to trade the three-time All-Star.