A Mets-Astros trade to finally replace Jose Abreu once and for all

Looking down the Houston Astros lineup, there are a few massive holes. One of those holes is left by Jose Abreu, who was once seen as a huge addition to the Astros lineup. After a year and a half of trying, Houston needs to move on from the 37 year old, desperately.

There isn't a more impactful first base bat on the active market than the slugging Pete Alonso. Alonso is likely to be shopped by the Mets, though he could come with quite an expensive price tag attached to him.

That price tag is for good reason though. This season, Alonso boasts an OPS+ of 130 and has slugged 13 home runs. He adds the fact that he's been one of the most consistent power hitters in the entire game for the course of his career.

An Astros-Mets trade that helps Houston upgrade over Jose Abreu once and for all

The Astros, a team that refuses to roll over and die, would be willing to pay the price to acquire this slugger. Alonso would create a powerful big three of himself, Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez in Houston.

As stated above, the price on Alonso would be quite steep. In this case, it's the Astros 6th and 8th ranked prospects, per MLB Pipeline.

Cole, a 23-year-old outfielder, has shown the ability to hit at a tremendous level in his professional career. His strikeout rate in 2023 was quite concerning but his physical attributes make up for this concerning stat for the time being.

Fleury has floated between being a starter and being a reliever, a decision that could be made by the Mets if this trade is made. His arsenal is led by his plus-plus changeup, an offering that can't really be replicated by too many arms.

These two prospects would be a huge return for the Mets, who look to trade away a big portion of their most talented players. Kickstarting their rebuild by adding two incredibly talented prospects like Cole and Fleury would be a dream come true for the Mets. When all is said and done, Houston will likely have to add in even more prospect capital, as well.

As for the Astros, they have shown the willingness to move prospects of this caliber if that means they can win now. They don't often plan for the future like some of the rest of the MLB, but this process has resulted in multiple World Series championships in the last decade.

A lineup with Tucker, Alonso and Alvarez would be a pitcher's worst nightmare. Houston needs to jump on this idea while they can, before the trade market heats up on Pete Alonso.