3 acceptable Mets replacements for Pete Alonso at first base not named Mark Vientos

3) Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Free agency does have a couple of other options, but they aren’t quite as appealing. Josh Bell? Anthony Rizzo? We can pass on this group. A trade for Toronto Blue Jays superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is where this list ends. A free agent after the 2025 season, he’s someone Mets fans should drool over.

The Mets can’t find a better realistic pivot from Alonso than to pull off a trade for Guerrero. Even his down year of 2023 was pretty spectacular in retrospect. He hit .264/.345/.444 with 26 home runs and 94 RBI. He rebounded nicely in 2024 with 30 home runs and 103 RBI all with a .323/.396/.544 slash line. A gifted defender and even an option at third base in case of an emergency, this would be a rental the Mets would need to immediately extend.

Guerrero’s age is appealing, too. He doesn’t turn 26 until March. Building a team of young stars doesn’t always have to cost a lot of money. In this case, it will. Guerrero doesn’t play a “premium” position and yet he should easily get a deal of $200+ million when his free agency does come around if for no other reason than his age.

The big roadblock here is the Blue Jays will probably prefer to simply keep Guerrero and pay him. This is a team that came close to signing Shohei Ohtani. They’re going to be in the Soto sweepstakes. If the Mets were to lose Alonso, there isn’t a better somewhat realistic alternative.