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

Despite the fact that the beginning of the 2025 MLB common season remains to be roughly one month away, some New York Mets followers are questioning if proprietor Steve Cohen and workforce president of baseball operations David Stearns could 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 could as an alternative hope that prospect Ryan Clifford can ultimately fill the function presently held by Alonso. 

“I actually like what I’ve seen from him from a first-base standpoint,” Mets Double-A supervisor Reid Brignac lately mentioned about how Clifford profiles. “He’s transferring his ft very well. His throwing accuracy has improved. He’s obtained actually good palms.” 

Whereas Clifford has but to indicate he can constantly hit Triple-A pitching, not to mention begin on the highest stage, it is price noting that the big-league Mets could 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. 

Nevertheless, 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 function 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 might lose their “roster flexibility.” 

In fact, a lot will occur over the following seven months or so that may affect the Mets’ plans for 2026 and past. Clifford might develop into 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 could wish to put together themselves for a situation that entails Cohen not being the very best bidder for Guerrero subsequent offseason.