The Chicago Cubs bolstered their batting order in a big way this offseason by agreeing to a three-year, $80 million reunion with Cody Bellinger.
But Jim Bowden of The Athletic projected the team will add even more pop by trading for New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso ahead of the 2024 trade deadline.
“The July 30 deadline is wild and crazy as first baseman dominate the news: The Mets trade Pete Alonso to the Cubs, the Cardinals trade Paul Goldschmidt to the Astros (Houston upgrades from a declining José Abreau) and the Blue Jays trade Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (and his additional year of team control) to the Giants,” Bowden wrote in his “24 predictions for (the) 2024 season.”
The New York Mets Might Be Looking to Trade Pete Alonso at the 2024 Deadline
There seems to be a good chance the Mets will be considering offers for Alonso at midseason, even after they acquired J.D. Martinez on a one-year deal. The 29-year-old slugger is set to hit free agency at the end of the 2024 campaign and the Mets might be looking to net some trade value back for him before he finds a new deal elsewhere, particularly if the team is not doing well ahead of the deadline.
The likelihood of such a trade seems to lie with new president of baseball operations David Stearns, even if owner Steve Cohen would be inclined to re-sign him.
“David Stearns does not strike me as the kind of executive who wants to commit a long-term deal to a right-right first baseman — even one as accomplished and popular as Alonso,” R.J. Anderson noted for CBS Sports. “I don’t think Cohen would hire him after all these years just to limit his control over baseball operations decisions.”
Pete Alonso Would Instantly Improve the Chicago Cubs Batting Order
Bowden has not been the first one to link Alonso to a potential trade with the Cubs.
“Alonso would instantly become Chicago’s best first base option if the Cubs acquire him, as Bellinger can also play the outfield,” Joey Mistretta wrote for ClutchPoints, proposing a “bonkers trade” that would see the Cubs relinquish pitching prospect Cade Horton, starter Jordan Wicks and infielder Michael Busch to the Mets. “The Cubs would be receiving an extremely durable player who will provide pop in the middle of the lineup at the very least, and someone who has the potential to be an All-Star player.”
In five big-league seasons, Alonso has slashed .251/.342/.528 with 192 career homers. As a rookie, he led all of MLB with 53 homers and in 2022 he led the majors in RBI with 131. He has been an All-Star three times, including last season, and made the All-MLB first team in 2019.
After striking a deal with Bellinger, adding starter Shota Imonaga and reliever Hector Neris, among other moves, the Cubs seem focused on winning the NL Central division in 2024. Depending on how attainable that goal is halfway into the season, a one-year rental for Alonso could be in the cards.
Their batting order projects to be headlined by Seiya Suzuki, Dansby Swanson and young slugger Chrostopher Morel. Alonso would certainly create some more pop and could very well lead the team in home runs and RBIs during a 2024 playoff run.
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Blockbuster Trade Prediction Sends 3-Time All-Star Slugger to Cubs