Sometimes an offseason turning point arrives in a single jolt, and Wednesday delivered one of those moments for the New York Mets. Pete Alonso, the face of the franchise’s power supply for half a decade, slipped away to Baltimore on a five-year, 155 million dollar deal that felt both predictable and surreal. The front office had braced for it, watching the bidding soar beyond the comfort zone of their valuation. Fans, though, woke up to a colder reality. The Polar Bear was gone, and now the Mets had to figure out what comes next.
A New Search Begins in Queens
The immediate question wasn’t complicated: who plays first base now? Mark Vientos offers the simplest internal solution, with Brett Baty sliding in at third and everyone hoping the gloves hold up. But even in December, you could sense the Mets weren’t ready to lock themselves into that alignment without exploring every corner of the market. They want someone steadier defensively, someone who doesn’t recreate the same problem that helped push them away from Alonso’s price tag in the first place.
That’s not a small point. Alonso’s bat is elite, but his glove has always been part of the internal calculus. The front office didn’t say it outright, but the numbers did. His negative nine outs above average last season weren’t just bad. They were the type that warp innings. If the Mets were going to pivot, they needed to pivot cleanly.
The Willson Contreras Curveball
And then came the name no one saw coming. Cardinals insider John Denton reported that the Mets queried St. Louis about Willson Contreras, the longtime catcher who shifted to first base in 2025. On the surface, it sounds odd. Look a little deeper and it starts to make sense.
Contreras put together a solid year at the plate, hitting .257 with 20 homers in 135 games. More importantly for the Mets’ evaluation, he posted six outs above average at first base, which is a massive swing from what they just lost defensively. He also carries a veteran presence the clubhouse tends to absorb quickly, and according to Denton, he’d waive his no-trade clause to play in New York. That alone signals interest on both sides, even if the Cardinals haven’t tipped their hand on what they’d want in return.
There’s also the strategic angle. Contreras isn’t a one-year rental, nor is he a long-term luxury piece. He fits in that middle tier where the Mets could upgrade without surrendering the type of prospect haul reserved for stars. It’s a move that says ambition without desperation, something this front office clings to even when the fan base just wants action.
What the Mets Are Balancing Now
The Mets will keep scanning the market, because that’s what a team does when a franchise pillar exits and leaves a crater behind. Vientos remains in the picture. A trade remains on the table. A surprise name could surface — it usually does in this league. But the early Contreras conversation reveals something about how New York sees the next version of itself.
They want better defense. They want lineup balance. They want to avoid patching one hole by creating another. Losing Alonso stings, but it doesn’t have to define their winter. It just forces them to think a little differently, maybe even a little boldly.
The Mets aren’t done reshaping their roster. They’re only at the start of it, and the next move will tell us whether this front office plans to replace Alonso’s production directly or rebuild the position with a cleaner, more efficient fit. Either way, the clock is already ticking in Queens, and the path they choose next will say a lot about who they intend to be.