Yankees highlight rumored Pete Alonso trade destinations in Mets deadline gambit

"If the Mets sell..." is no longer an "if," as the moribund squad out in Flushing is reportedly listening on/shopping/pushing the vast majority of their 26-man roster. Presumably, according to some to delusional members of the fan base, they're only exploring a complete roster implosion to clear 4-to-5 roster spots for Juan Soto, succumbing to his demands.

But while the Mets have disappeared from the public consciousness this spring, that doesn't mean they lack for star power. Slugging first baseman Pete Alonso, still the most recognizable Met, will hit free agency at the end of the season. He loves New York. New York loves him. But does Steve Cohen love him enough to offer him $250 million and tell him, "One-dimensional? Who cares! To hell with all the other dimensions!"?

According to former MLB GM Jim Bowden (subs. required), the Mets are at least considering pulling an Aroldis Chapman with Alonso and dealing him to a contending team this summer, then courting him again in the offseason after squeezing assets out of some poor sap.

The Yankees? With an Anthony Rizzo issue looming larger by the day, they could be that sap!

Yankees could trade for Pete Alonso, help him walk back to Mets in offseason

First of all, Jim really wants your opinion, so please, Twitter, for the first time ever, let him hear it! Don't hold back like you always do all those other times.

Second, the heaping pile of Yankees praise in this article (and the gymnastics Bowden did to sneak Anthony Volpe onto the team) doesn't go unnoticed, but that little Alonso tidbit drowns out the roster speculation just a bit.

According to Jeff Passan's trade deadline primer, the assumption is now that an Alonso trade will happen, while the second half of the equation is still up for grabs. Per ESPN's insider, "Multiple general managers said they expect new president of baseball operations David Stearns to trade the All-Star first baseman."

Other mentioned Alonso destinations include the Giants, Mariners, Astros and Twins, but none of those are as juicy as the Yankees. Would Brian Cashman really upend team chemistry mid-stream and surrender genuine assets to the Mets for their offense-first first baseman? Only if it came with a Cohen promise not to pursue Juan Soto to the best of his abilities this coming winter, something we swear happened with Aaron Judge in 2022.

Defense has been the Yankees' primary Rizzo bugaboo, and adding Alonso wouldn't go far towards solving that particular wound. The Mets' first baseman sports a .784 OPS and a positive WAR that still totals less than 1.0. Dealing top talent for a diminished Alonso sounds more like the Giants' bag, if you ask us. But you didn't ask us. You asked Bowden, after he begged for your comments! Go, have at it!