The New York Mets ended the season in the worst possible way, suffering an ultimate collapse. They missed the playoffs after losing to the Miami Marlins on the final day of the regular season. Now, the franchise faces another major problem: home run leader Pete Alonso may not return, as he’s heading into free agency.
“But again, we’ll see what happens. I love it, it’s great, but you can’t really predict anything. And for me… I am focused on trying to put this thing across the finish line. I haven’t really thought about the free agent thing until we’re talking about it right now,” Alonso said. “It would be great to stay. But, again, whatever happens, happens. I can’t get a crystal ball. I wish I could, but we’ll see.”
If Alonso does leave, the Mets could soften the blow by pursuing a major addition to their outfield: longtime rival Cody Bellinger.
“Yes, Juan Soto reeled in $765 million last offseason and Brandon Nimmo has five seasons remaining on an eight-year, $162 million deal. That said, Starling Marte and Cedric Mullins are free agents and New York dealt former top outfield prospect Drew Gilbert at the trade deadline. The need for another starting outfielder exists. The beauty of a Soto-Nimmo-Bellinger outfield is that there would be three players with power from the left side who have started at multiple outfield spots,” Fox Sports wrote.
Bellinger wasted no time opting out of his contract following the Yankees’ season-ending loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.
“As expected, New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger plans to opt out of his contract and become a free agent next month, a source told ESPN. Bellinger, 30, has a $25 million player option for next season. After a rebound season in his first year in pinstripes, he presumably will receive widespread interest in free agency — it should yield a lucrative multi-year contract,” ESPN’s Jorge Castillo wrote.
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A Mets outfield featuring Nimmo and Bellinger would provide a strong combination of defense and left-handed power. While Soto isn’t known for his glove, his elite bat makes up for it.
If the Mets manage to pull off this blockbuster move, their new outfield trio would immediately rank among the best in baseball. Come April, New York could be a serious contender — with or without Alonso.
