The free agency saga between first baseman Pete Alonso and the New York Mets hasn’t reached its conclusion yet. While the homegrown slugger could still return to Queens, he’s currently pursuing other options. Could president of baseball operations David Stearns replace the Polar Bear with Detroit Tigers slugger Spencer Torkelson?

Torkelson, the top overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, is coming off a rough season. He took a step forward in 2023 by posting a .758 OPS with 31 home runs and 94 RBI in 684 plate appearances. However, he struggled to a .669 OPS with 10 homers and 37 RBI in 381 plate appearances during the 2024 season.

Detroit’s 2025 infield alignment might have the 25-year-old as the odd man out for the Tigers. Gleyber Torres will take over at second base and Colt Keith will take over at first base.  the Mets are thinking about targeting Torkelson in a trade as a potential replacement for Alonso.

“Torkelson has four more years of team control and is the type of player that would seemingly fit the mold of David Stearns’ philosophy on player acquisition,” Ragazzo wrote. “Torkelson also brings solid defense at first base and would allow (Mark) Vientos to continue growing at third base. Time will tell, but it’s still looking like a reality that a breakup between the Mets and Pete Alonso is on the horizon.”

The slugger isn’t eligible for arbitration until 2026 and is estimated to earn $800,000 in 2025, per Spotrac. It would be an interesting avenue for the Mets to pursue should Alonso sign elsewhere. However, this type of move would create another unknown in the lineup after the Mets made a record-breaking investment in outfielder Juan Soto.