This offseason, after a brutal second-half collapse, the New York Mets might be looking to shake things up. Whether it's in the starting rotation, the bullpen, or in the field, the Mets need to make some changes this winter.
But before they decide to make any changes, they need to determine whether Pete Alonso, who's now a free agent after opting out of his deal, is coming back or not.
John Harper of SNY.tv shared the opinion of one scout, who is urging the Mets to not only move on from Alonso this offseason, but use the resources left over to swipe the NL home runs leader from the Philadelphia Phillies. It'd be a bold and aggressive move, but one that David Stearns and Steve Cohen wouldn't be afraid of making.
Mets urged to let Pete Alonso walk, target Phillies' 56 home run slugger
"Kyle Schwarber would solve a lot of their problems," one scout said. "I don't know if it's possible, but if Steve Cohen wants to flex again this winter, he should pay whatever it would take to get Schwarber to leave the Phillies."
Swiping Schwarber away from the Phillies would be a very bold and aggressive move for the Mets to make. If they could pull it off, it'd be a no-brainer.
Not only would it weaken the Phillies' lineup, but it'd break up the trust that the Phillies fans have in their ownership, and could cause some major dissatisfaction with the team.
The scout from Harper's story, when referencing "a lot of their problems," was referring to Alonso. The free agent first baseman is at risk of leaving, and for the Mets, the decision with Alonso is a tough one.
On one hand, he's been a franchise icon for the last few years. On the other hand, his regressing defense has the Mets second-guessing whether to bring him back or not.
Instead of spending a lot of money on Alonso, the Mets could instead spend a ton on Schwarber, landing a power hitter who is coming off a career-high 56 home runs in 2025, and also hurt the Phillies' roster in the process.
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Adding talent while taking away talent from a division rival is a good way to get a leg up on the competition. For the Phillies, they'll try not to let Schwarber go, and the Phillies DH might decide to stay in Philadelphia, even if Cohen throws a ton of money at him.
But if the Mets can add Schwarber and let Alonso go, it could help bolster the offense and the defense. Schwarber is a designated hitter only, but with his addition, the offense would be significantly better, and the replacement for Alonso at first base would likely be a huge upgrade defensively.
The scout's free agent idea is a very appealing one, but it isn't very likely. A lot would need to go the Mets' way, and even if Schwarber is available, the Mets might not want to spend so much on a designated hitter.
But the theory makes a lot of sense, and it could be a great way for the Mets to improve their offense and defense over the course of a couple of moves this offseason. Plus, it'd be heartbreaking for Phillies fans, adding more reason to love such an idea.
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