Exhausted Mets and preoccupied Jays allowing Angels a real chance at signing Alonso

There is a path for the Angels to sign Pete Alonso, and it gets clearer-and-clearer with every passing day. The New York Mets are exhausted by the Alonso sweepstakes, and the Toronto Blue Jays are dealing with their own slugging first baseman's next contract. Alonso is a Scott Boras client, and organizations know that he is more than willing to have his clients wait until during spring training to sign their next contract. However, if the Angels can actually offer Alonso a competitive offer he is there for the taking.

Mets owner, Steve Cohen, addressed in front of the voracious Mets fanbase how they made an offer to Alonso, but are worn out from the drawn-out process:

"“A lot of it is, we made a significant offer … I don’t like the structures that are being presented back to us. It’s highly asymmetric against us. And I feel strongly about it. I will never say no. There’s always the possibility. But the reality is we’re moving forward. And as we continue to bring in players, the reality is it becomes harder to fit Pete into what is a very expensive group of players that we already have. That’s where we are. And I am being brutally honest.

I don’t like the negotiations. I don’t like what’s been presented to us. Listen, maybe that changes. Certainly, I’ll always stay flexible. If it stays this way, I think we are going to have to get used to the fact that we may have to go forward with the existing players that we have.”"

Steve Cohen

It's rare you hear an owner speak this way, but Cohen is not like other owners. Those quotes are wild--it sure seems like the Mets are moving on. The Athletic's Will Sammon detailed how the Mets extended the Polar Bear a three-year offer, then rescinded it once it was declined. If "we're moving forward" does not indicate that Alonso will no longer be on the Mets...

The Mets are moving on, and the Jays are dealing with a Guerrero vs. Alonso conundrum

Besides the Mets, the other known team bidding for Alonso is the Toronto Blue Jays. Well, they might have a divided front office at the moment given the self-imposed deadline their slugger has initiated. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., son of Angels legend Vladimir Guerrero Sr., reportedly will not discuss an extension with the Blue Jays once he arrives for spring training. If Alonso is an imperfect roster fit for the Angels, he sure as heck is for the Blue Jays. Rostering both Guerrero Jr. and Alonso makes sense for one season, but if the Jays sign Alonso they may as well start exploring the trade market then and there for Vladito.

The Angels may or may not have met with Alonso recently, and they have to know that he is their's to lose right now. If they truly want him, they cannot haggle over years like the Mets. Also, the notion that Alonso is an imperfect fit for the Angels might be over-stated.

For those who are concerned about being too right-hand dominant with Alonso, attached are the players' wRC+ against RHPs in 2024 (100 is average, above 100 is above average). The lineup, when Neto returns, would absolutely crush both lefties and righties:

1. Soler—9...130 with Atlanta, 97 with San Francisco
2. Trout—8...156
3. Neto—6...97
4. Alonso—3...120
5. Schanuel*—DH...105
6. Ward—7...102
7. O’Hoppe—2...109
8. Rengifo*—5...108
9. Newman—4...85
* -- left-handed hitter or switch-hitter

Other than the defensive-minded Kevin Newman, the lowest 2024 wRC+ against RHPs of that group is shockingly Zach Neto. Not a bad problem to have. Furthermore, if teams like the 2024 Yankees or 2021 Red Sox have shown, if you can put balls in seats you can compromise your defense. Signing Alonso definitely does that as it would likely mean Soler would play more right field than anticipated, and Schanuel might need to take some left field reps. Soler playing a lot of right field is not ideal, but it is a better alternative than not landing a slugger like Alonso that the team desperately needs.

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