Surprise Pete Alonso suitor could heighten Mets urgency with Alex Bregman

All eyes were on the New York Mets this offseason, considering they were thought to be the favorites to land Juan Soto, and they did on a record-breaking $765 million contract. But now, the fanbase is waiting to see who the team will add to their batting order behind Soto.

First baseman Pete Alonso is still a free agent, and he and the Mets are facing a "significant gap" in negotiations. With that, Mets fans have begun focusing on the best hitter in free agency, and that's former Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman. The Mets have been linked to Bregman, but they have some competition in the form of the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers.

A new report should get the Mets to feel a sense of urgency to ger a deal done with Bregman.

Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported on Saturday that the Giants have Alonso "on their radar," due to their need for a first baseman and designated hitter. This comes after the Giants lost out on starting pitcher Corbin Burnes to the Arizona Diamondacks.

With this new report, the Mets need to make a move soon, and it is prioritizing Bregman.

Giants' interest in Pete Alonso should have Mets urgently trying to sign Alex Bregman

Considering the Mets signed Soto, they have to put together a batting order that can really put them over the edge in the National League, which is only getting tougher. Not to mention, the Dodgers are basically running back the same lineup as last season, where they won the World Series.

The Mets did try covering their bases with the Alonso talks going nowhere. Tim Healey of Newday reported that the Mets made a two-year offer to outfielder Teoscar Hernandez, who decided to stay with the Dodgers on a three-year, $66 million contract. The Mets' offer featured the same annual salary as he received with the Dodgers, but no deferred money.

With Hernandez off the board, Bregman is undoubtedly the best hitter available. He knows how to get the big hits in the big games, plus can play at two positions for the Mets — third base or second base. If Bregman were to sign and the Mets moved on from Alonso, they could throw Mark Vientos to first base.

But the Mets would need to act fast. While New York Post MLB insider Jon Heyman said that he wouldn't count out the Mets, the Tigers are reportedly "all-in" on Bregman, per the Detroit Free Press' Evan Petzold. Even though Petzold says that the Tigers have strong interest in Bregman, there is still "a gap in value," with the third baseman wanting a $200 million deal.

The clock is ticking for the Mets, as the top bats available in free agency are slowly but surely flying off the board. If the Mets lose out on Alonso to a team like the Giants, they can't afford to miss out on a player like Bregman.