Report: Mets To Keep Alonso If Close To Playoff Race Come July 30

According to Bob Nightingale of USA Today, rival teams are convinced the Mets won’t be trading their slugging first baseman Pete Alonso if the team is within five games of the wild-card race at the team of the trade deadline.

Alonso, who is set to hit free agency at the conclusion of this season, has largely been involved in trade rumors around the league. This especially holding true when the Mets were multiple games under .500 and the playoffs seemed like a pipe dream. However, with the Mets now very much in the mix, holding onto Alonso makes all the sense.

Alonso is have a “down year” by his standards. The 29-year-old owns a .798 OPS which is well below his career .862 mark. He has also struggled mightily defensively, ranking in the league’s second percentile in outs above average (negative-six). However, he is still on pace for 34 home runs and is able to play every night. The slugger leads the team in home runs and is second in RBIs.

The MLB trade deadline is exactly one month from today on July 30. The Mets sit 1.0 game out of the final wild card position. Not to mention, their schedule is slated to soften immensely, with series against the Washington Nationals (two), Pittsburgh Pirates, Colorado Rockies, and Miami Marlins on deck. This before running into the New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, and Minnesota Twins right before the July 30 deadline arrives.

A big month of baseball upcoming for the Mets who have fought their way all the way back into contention. July will have a huge impact on both the current configuration of the team and the team’s future going forward.

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