Mets rumors: Offseason priorities don't include Pete Alonso per MLB insider

MLB insider Jim Bowden is helping to cook the hot stove right now. Stirring the pot of New York Mets rumors, he laid out a plan of preference for David Stearns.

Corbin Burnes is a priority at the top of the rotation as is Juan Soto in the lineup. A dream scenario for the Mets and many of their fans as well, the only part of this plan not all of us are as on board with is the dismissal of Pete Alonso.

Bowden suggests the Mets aren’t as eager to bring Alonso back. Were the extension talks that vile? Bowden’s lone suggestion from this clip about Alonso landing elsewhere has more to do with the Mets’ desire to upgrade defense at third base with a plan of moving Mark Vientos over to first base.

Mets rumors from Jim Bowden indicate they’ll let Pete Alonso walk in favor of signing a third baseman

The two third basemen this offseason mentioned most are Alex Bregman and now Willy Adames whose career as a shortstop would come to a close if he signed with the Mets. Previous Mets rumors indicated Adames is open to moving to third base if a team like the Mets signed him. For what it’s worth, Bregman would move to second base in the right scenario as well.

Rumors of the St. Louis Cardinals gauging trade interest in Nolan Arenado hit the social media wire this week as well. It’s a less tempting thought because of his age. 

The co-existence of Alonso and Vientos on the same roster doesn’t seem to be the preferred direction of the Mets. Moving Vientos to more of a full-time DH status is a bit extreme for a young kid. That’s a spot we’d be more likely to see utilized for a variety of position players, including Starling Marte who should be a regular there.

Signing a big-time third baseman does raise a couple of questions about the younger players. What becomes of Brett Baty? Don’t tell me he’ll be the second baseman, Mr. Stearns. The hot corner was a spot Ronny Mauricio was thought to have a chance to win. Not if Adames or Bregman are here.

Any Mets offseason headlined by signing Soto and Burnes is a successful one. They are inarguably the two best free agents out there. To enter the season with both is a victory in itself.

Hearing Alonso isn’t a priority comes as little surprise. It always seemed the Mets had a line they’d be unwilling to budge on. A down year by the Polar Bear means settling for a lot less than he originally intended to receive.

Something about signing Adames, who has never played an inning at third base in his MLB career, doesn’t sit right. Who’s to say first base will come naturally to Vientos either? In Stearns we trust, or at least accept, however it goes.