4 Mets third base options if they don’t have answers after the 2024 season

The pressure is on for the New York Mets to figure out their third base situation. It’s a competition between Brett Baty and not really anyone else. Mark Vientos will get opportunities to play the hot corner at times, too, especially with J.D. Martinez getting the bulk of at-bats as the DH.

Time can run out quickly for both players. Baty failed to prove he belongs in the big leagues last year. Vientos, with only one more minor league option this season, might be in “do or DFA” mode.

What happens if the Mets don’t figure it out? They have these four options to turn to.

1) The Mets can go big and sign Alex Bregman

The big free agent “get” for third base next year will be Alex Bregman. We’ll see rumblings of the Mets checking in on his price tag. That’s just what we’ll need to expect throughout the ownership of Steve Cohen. Any big time free agent fit will at least be a consideration.

Bregman hasn’t been quite as elite in recent seasons. More importantly, the fear of buying an aging third baseman showing some signs of decline over remaining patient with Baty for even another year is enough to have the Mets turning in another direction. Signing Bregman would make headlines. Does it actually make the most sense for the Mets?

With the Mets needing to rebuild almost the entire pitching staff yet again next winter plus the likely pursuits of Pete Alonso and/or Juan Soto in free agency, Bregman seems to fall a little further down on the totem pole of needs. Anyone who signs him could be getting themselves into a situation where they’re paying a guy whose best is already behind him.

Prediction: The Mets check in but don’t seriously pursue Alex Bregman.