Getty Juan Soto and Pete Alonso.
Superstar sluggers on the New York Yankees and New York Mets could be trading places in free agency this winter.
According to an April 18 article from the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, Juan Soto and Pete Alonso potentially swapping teams “shouldn’t be considered completely fanciful.”
“We’ve long heard the Mets may well go for Soto, especially if things don’t come together quickly with Alonso,” Heyman wrote. “And if the Mets do sign Soto, Alonso becomes the logical fallback option for the Yankees, especially since even team owner Steve Cohen probably won’t sign both in his 110 percent tax situation.
“And under those circumstances, word is the Yankees would seriously consider Alonso.”
Heyman does concede that the most likely scenario is that one or both of these superstars re-signs with their current teams in free agency. But if Alonso prefers to test free agency after this season, Heyman expects the Yankees to show interest.
Heyman also reported as early as December 2023 that the Mets covet Soto, who’s still only 25 years old.
If either team’s season doesn’t end well, it’s possible Soto and Alonso could both be wearing different colored pinstripes in 2025.
Juan Soto Is Adored in New York
ESPN’s Buster Olney detailed on April 17 how unique it is for Yankees fans to fall in love with a new superstar so quickly.
“Jason Giambi and Alex Rodriguez won MVPs elsewhere but were booed in their early days of being Yankees,” Olney writes. “Hell, Giancarlo Stanton has hit 139 homers with the Yankees and is still routinely booed.”
A look at Soto’s stats makes it obvious why Yankees fans are fawning over him.
Soto is batting .352 with 4 home runs and 17 RBIs in 2024. What’s more, Soto’s .478 on-base percentage (OBP) is leading the American League.
Soto sends one out 💪
Soto also brings an enthusiasm and energy to the Yankees clubhouse that’s discernible to New York fans.
Per the New York Post, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said on April 11 that newcomers Soto, Alex Verdugo, and Marcus Stroman “have brought an energy that on certain days is a little shot in the arm.”
All of these reasons illustrate why the Yankees will want to re-sign Soto this offseason. But if Soto ends up elsewhere, Heyman expects them to pursue Alonso.
Pete Alonso Desires Free Agency
Alonso’s agent Scott Boras is notorious for preferring that his clients test free agency.
Heyman wrote on February 15 that the same should be expected from Alonso.
“Don’t hold your breath for one of those increasingly rare spring mega-signings involving Pete Alonso,” Heyman wrote. “He is almost surely headed to free agency after the 2024 season.”
Mets baseball president David Stearns seems to have accepted this reality.
“Look, when you have a really talented player who’s really good and who’s entering the final year of club control who happens to be represented by Scott Boras, these things generally end up in free agency,” Stearns told the New York Post on February 8. “We understand that.”
Alonso’s 198 home runs since 2019 is more than anyone else in baseball. Somebody is going to pay a premium for that sort of power in free agency.
It could be either of the two New York teams.