Why Mets may not view Guerrero Jr. as eventual Alonso replacement

Regardless that the beginning of the 2025 MLB common season continues to be roughly one month away, some New York Mets followers are questioning if proprietor Steve Cohen and crew president of baseball operations David Stearns might already view Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays as an eventual substitute for first baseman Pete Alonso.

As Manny Gomez of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com defined in a bit printed Friday, people inside the Mets might as a substitute hope that prospect Ryan Clifford can ultimately fill the position at the moment held by Alonso. 

“I actually like what I’ve seen from him from a first-base standpoint,” Mets Double-A supervisor Reid Brignac not too long ago mentioned about how Clifford profiles. “He’s shifting his ft very well. His throwing accuracy has improved. He’s bought actually good palms.” 

Whereas Clifford has but to point out he can persistently hit Triple-A pitching, not to mention begin on the highest degree, it is value noting that the big-league Mets might not want his companies earlier than 2027. Alonso will enter Opening Day on a two-year deal that has an opt-out after the upcoming season, and a few have famous he might function a chosen hitter in a New York lineup that additionally options Guerrero assuming the latter reaches free company after the 2025 World Sequence concludes. 

Nonetheless, Mets insider Tim Britton of The Athletic is amongst those that have identified since final offseason that Stearns did not prioritize first base whereas serving as an government with the Milwaukee Brewers from 2015 up till he shifted to an advisory position with that group within the fall of 2022. Moreover, Cohen hinted earlier this month he feels the Mets “can’t have too many long-term contracts as a result of” they’d lose their “roster flexibility.” 

After all, lots will occur over the following seven months or so that may influence the Mets’ plans for 2026 and past. Clifford might grow to be a part of a commerce bundle, or Cohen might resolve to go all-in on signing Guerrero if the Amazins endure a down season after they accomplished a visit to the Nationwide League Championship Sequence this previous fall. 

With all of that mentioned, Mets followers might need to put together themselves for a state of affairs that includes Cohen not being the best bidder for Guerrero subsequent offseason.