"No money left for Pete Alonso"; "Who hits behind Juan Soto?" - MLB fans intrigued as Jesse Winker reportedly returns to Mets on $7.5 million deal

The New York Mets have been one of the most active teams this offseason, adding several notable players, including Juan Soto and Clay Holmes. It didn't take long for the front office to strike again as the club has reportedly reached an agreement with Jesse Winker on Thursday on a one-year $7.5 million deal. The contract could reach as high as $9 million based on incentives.

In 44 regular season and 10 playoff games with the Mets, Winker was a solid contributor in the bottom half of the order. Although his numbers didn't exactly jump off the page, a .243 batting average with three home runs and 13 RBIs, the energy he brought to the club throughout their postseason run made him a fan favorite.

Even though Winker gained a lot of fans thanks to his clutch exploits last season, the signing has raised some eyebrows, considering that Pete Alonso remains unsigned. The move has left some wondering if this is an indication of Alonso's future with the club.

"No money left from Pete," one fan wrote.

"This feels more like a scare tactic for Pete Alonso and Scott Boras to me," another fan wrote.

"Completely unacceptable. Winker is not a replacement for Alonso," one fan said.

Although there is still a chance that Winker's signing will not have an effect on Alonso potentially returning to the Mets, MLB insider Andy Martino believes that the team has pivoted. Martino compared the pivot to the New York Yankees acquiring multiple pieces after missing out on Juan Soto. However, fans still have questions about how the team's lineup will look next season.

"Makes no sense. Who hits behind Soto?" one fan commented.

"David Stearns has made all the right moves….. until now," another fan wrote.

"Signing Soto and failing to get an impact bat to protect him is not gonna go over well with this fan base, understandable outrage on the way," a fan said.

The New York Mets still have unanswered questions about their infield

If the signing of Jesse Winker is a sign that New York is potentially preparing for a world without Pete Alonso, the club will still need to figure out their infield alignment. One of the most commonly shared ideas this offseason has been the team potentially having Mark Vientos move to first base to replace Alonso.

That could be an option for the Mets next season; however, they will need to determine who would play third base. The team has been linked to other stars in either free agency or the trade market who could be viewed as different options, including Alex Bregman and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. This offseason is far from over for New York.