Pete Alonso Trade Rumors: Could the Yankees pull off a deal with their crosstown rival? Exploring potential options with Mets slugger

Pete Alonso is the hottest name running in New York. The Mets may look to offload their first baseman come this trade deadline and there is no better franchise suited to inherit him than the Yankees.

The Yankees are looking to trade for first baseman since their regular position player, Anthony Rizzo, will be unavailable for some time due to a fractured arm. Also, the production of Rizzo with bat this season has been underwhelming and a blockbuster replacement in Alonso should elevate their lineup.

However, there's a flip side. First, both the crosstown rivals don't generally trade with each other. Secondly, playing first base, Ben Rice has done well. Earlier this week, he became the first Yankee rookie to hit three home runs in a single game.

Alonso and Rice can't be compared, given that the former is relatively more experienced, accomplished, and arguably a better hitter. FanGraphs predicts Rice to have a 116+wRC as compared to Alonso's 130. However, the cost of bringing in Alonso ($20.5 million) is way higher than what Rice is playing for, which is $125,000.

If Rice can keep up with his production, trading for a position he plays is not justified. Rather, the Yankees can use this trade deadline to focus on bolstering their bullpen and bring in someone like Tanner Scott or Mason Miller to boost their postseason odds.

Will the Mets even trade Pete Alonso? Are they really sellers at this trade deadline?

MLB: New York Mets' Pete Alonso at Pittsburgh Pirates. Credit: IMAGN

With the win on Wednesday against the Washington Nationals, the Mets have just eclipsed the .500 mark, so they can't be called sure short sellers. As things stand currently, the Mets are only 0.5 games behind to get in the Wild Card round. More so, the team has gone 6-4 in their last 10 games.

Given the kind of player Pete Alonso is, the Mets should have extended him long ago. Instead, they are using this year to see where they stand before deciding on the first baseman. However, it might be too long by then. David Stearns has a decision to make.

Since the Mets haven't extended Pete Alonso's contract yet, the possibility of him getting traded at the deadline is high. If not the Yankees, other teams like the Astros are also looking for a first baseman. So maybe Alonso does get traded but not to the team named the Yankees ahead of the July 30 trade deadline.