Over half a century has gone by since Tug McGraw uttered those well-known words, “You gotta believe.” A rallying cry for the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets alike, “You should always carry inspiration with you,” is a testament to the power of a three-word slogan that will still be relevant in 2024.
Pete Alonso’s departure, while not necessarily a sure thing in terms of publicity and “the feels,” was the biggest trade deadline component for the Mets. Talks about the Mets selling their potent first baseman have been going on for over a year. They are incredibly popular and significant. It is hard to refute given his future freedom of agency. Is he going to remain or go? There’s a song by The Clash about it.
There won’t be any problems if he remains, and if he leaves, there won’t be a double, but the Mets will have given up on the season. These five are the most appropriate for him in the event that they raise the white flag.
The San Francisco Giants (5)
In the NL Wild Card standings, the Mets and San Francisco Giants are not too far apart. For the Giants to genuinely establish themselves as a top destination for the slugger, they would need to get some space from the Mets. Adding him in a midseason trade is a fantastic step toward presenting him the concept of signing in the offseason. They are a far better match in free agency due to their strong ties with Scott Boras clients no one else wants, their need for power, and their want to spend a lot of money.
LaMonte Wade Jr. isn’t a terrible player for the Giants at first base. Because of his batting average and on base percentage, he is a light-hitting player for the position and is in the opening lineup. This season, both figures rank among the top in the league. By shifting Wade to a corner outfield position or using Jorge Soler as the regular DH and giving Alonso at-bats as the designated hitter, they may force Alonso to work. The most likely result is probably a little bit of mixing and matching.
To become a large enough purchaser, San Francisco will have to separate itself from the rest of the field. Sadly, Alonso won’t bring in a significant amount of money for the Mets. But a team that is more competitive than the Giants, who have so far been mediocre at best, ought to be more prepared to pay the potential price.
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