New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said on Monday that he “expects” Pete Alonso to be the team’s starting first baseman on Opening Day, but that isn’t stopping the rumor mill from starting up just a few days after the end of the 2023 regular season.
According to multiple reports, the Chicago Cubs are hot on Alonso’s trail and are expected to at least inquire about a potential blockbuster this winter.
“The mumbling out there is the Cubs are going to do everything they can to trade for Pete Alonso from the Mets,” Cubs reporter Bruce Levine said during an appearance on “Hit & Run with Matt Spiegel” on Monday. ESPN’s Jesse Rogers added on the Kap & J. Hood Show confirmed those reports and even speculated that Alonso wants to join the Cubs.
“He has surveyed the big-market contending teams and saw that the Cubs don’t have any first basemen,” Rogers said. “They have a pretty good team and a great market, so I think he wants to come here as much as they want him.”
Alonso will be entering the final year of his contract in 2024 where he continues to build on his value. He posted 46 home runs and 118 RBI in 2023 — the third time in his five MLB seasons that he’s eclipsed the 40 home run and 110 RBI marks.
Yet the Mets reportedly shopped Alonso at the trade deadline and had conversations with the Milwaukee Brewers, Stearns’ former team where he spent the last year as an advisor following an eight-year stint as general manager and POBO.
“I know over the summer there was some trade speculation. I’ll just say: I expect Pete to be the Opening Day first baseman next year,” Stearns said. “He’s an important member of this team, he’s an important member of this organization, and I think we’re really fortunate to have him.”
