Blockbuster Mets trade proposal on SNY replaces Pete Alonso, but for how long?

SNY’s Anthony McCarron had his turn to rebuild the New York Mets roster. He took to the stage on Baseball Night in New York to deliver a blockbuster Mets trade proposal that would immediately replace Pete Alonso by acquiring Vladimir Guerrero Jr. from the Toronto Blue Jays.

McCarron quickly ducks for cover while noting the trade might not be perfect after all. Jett Williams and Ryan Clifford seem more than fair. The inclusion of Jeff McNeil wouldn’t have anyone pausing a rerun of Corner Gas to dance around in excitement. Whoever you want to include, this trade has one major question; how long does this resolve the emptiness at first base?

The Mets are giving up a lot to rent Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in this mock trade

Guerrero had another awesome year for the Blue Jays this past season. He hit 30 home runs, drove in 103, and fell just shy of 200 hits on the year; he had 199. A stacked .323/.396/.544 slash line and less than 100 strikeouts, he’s an old-school type of player if you consider the 1990s old-school already. It’s almost as if he’s related to a star from the decade.

The big issue here is Guerrero is a free agent after the 2025 season. A trade then sign scenario fixes this for the Mets. Who’s to say he wouldn’t want to test the market? He’ll play next season at 26-years-old. Lengthy and fat contract offers are coming his way.

The trade is one the Mets should make under the condition they view him as the answer at first base. Williams is a wonderful prospect, but also a man discovering his next position. Clifford is a future first base candidate. Sacrificing either for the sure thing of what Guerrero can do isn’t ridiculous. If both end up as really good major leaguers, good on them. The four-time All-Star presence of Guerrero on the Mets will only have us swerving with a thought of “who else could we have given up instead?”

Some may argue the Mets should just wait until he becomes a free agent. What about those teams who aggressively go after Guerrero now and are then able to lock him up? A Mookie Betts situation is plausible. We dreamed of him calling Citi Field home in the future. Then he was traded by the Boston Red Sox to the Los Angeles Dodgers before Steve Cohen could even officially take control.

The Mets will eventually need to make a blockbuster trade with multiple members of their farm system. They’ve held steady for several years with a focus on free agency. What good are prospects if all they do is fall high on subjective lists then struggle once they get to the majors?

Alonso will only cost the Mets money. To make this trade worthwhile, it’ll cost the Mets prospects and even more total cash. Is investing over $200 million in a first baseman the right kind to make?