Getty The Giants could use some additions to their lineup before the trade deadline. Could Pete Alonso and Harrison Bader be realistic targets?
The New York Mets are 30-37 this season and might be sellers at the trade deadline for the second consecutive year. First baseman Pete Alonso could be a popular target among interested teams, as well as center fielder Harrison Bader. Could the San Francisco Giants find a way to swing a deal for both?
Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer ranked potential landing spots for Alonso amid the latest trade rumors. He ranked the Giants as his fourth-best destination and cooked up a two-for-one deal that’d bring a huge potential boost to San Francisco’s lineup:
- Giants receive: first baseman Pete Alonso and center fielder Harrison Bader
- Mets receive: left-handed pitcher Carson Whisenhunt
“Alonso’s power would be mighty useful to this end, as the Giants have gotten only six home runs from first base,” he said. “Only four teams have gotten fewer. Plus, they need not look to fill just one need by dealing with the Mets. Per [Jim] Bowden, they’re also on the lookout for a stand-in for the injured Jung Hoo Lee in center field.”
The Potential Impact of Trading Alonso & Bader to San Francisco
Alonso is making $20 million in 2024, while Bader has a $10 million salary, per Spotrac. They’ll each be free agents in November, meaning interested teams will likely only get them as half-season rentals. Alonso, a three-time All-Star, would bring much-needed power to the Bay. Meanwhile, Bader would bring his solid defense and 2021 Gold Glove Award to the outfield at Oracle Park.
The Giants have qualified for the postseason just once since 2017. The Los Angeles Dodgers eliminated them in the 2021 NLDS. So, even if Alonso and Bader were only with the team for a few months, it’d likely be considered worth it if they play October baseball again.
As for the Mets, only getting one pitching prospect in return for two established players may seem underwhelming. However, Whisenhunt is on the verge of making his big-league debut after starting the year in Triple-A. MLB.com ranked him as baseball’s 66th-best prospect heading into 2024.
The left-hander has struggled this season, posting a 5.24 ERA and 1.58 WHIP across 56.2 innings in the notoriously hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. But he put together a terrific year in 2023 while pitching at three levels. In Single-A, High-A and Double-A, Whisenhunt posted a 2.45 ERA and 1.03 WHIP.
The next order of business for the southpaw is to build up his innings count. He hasn’t tossed more than 58.2 innings in a pro season yet.
This Would Be a Big Boost to San Francisco’s Postseason Chances
The Giants are entering play on June 14 with a sub-.500 record. They’re 34-35 and 7.5 games behind the Dodgers for first place in the National League West. Despite this inconsistent performance, they’re still in the Wild Card hunt.
San Francisco is currently tied with the St. Louis Cardinals for the final postseason spot and FanGraphs gives them a 36% chance of making the playoffs. Manager Bob Melvin’s club hasn’t performed up to expectation yet. However, their situation is still allowing president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi to search for roster upgrades this summer to get them over the hump.
If the Mets make a concerted effort to trade Alonso and the Giants are interested, they’ll have plenty of competition. Jim Bowden of The Athletic named six teams as possible destinations for Alonso if the Mets trade him. “Pete Alonso is expected to be the biggest power bat traded at the deadline,” he said. “The Astros, Mariners, Yankees, Giants, Cubs and Twins are possible landing spots for the three-time All-Star.”