Zack Scott has become a regular voice on SNY, offering his own unique perspective on the game. The former New York Mets general manager in 2021, he shared a trade idea in response to one of the main points David Stearns emphasized during Monday’s press conference.
Two topics came up repeatedly: Pete Alonso’s future and ways the team could improve. While keeping Alonso is important, Scott noted that simply re-signing him doesn’t necessarily make the team better.
Putting himself back in the GM mindset, Scott casually floated a potential trade scenario between the Mets and the St. Louis Cardinals.
This Mets-Cardinals trade does seem to meet what both teams hope to do
Willson Contreras shifted from catcher to playing first base full-time this past season, and Scott wasn’t exaggerating when he said Contreras excelled defensively. His 6 Outs Above Average ranked tied for fifth among all first basemen. By comparison, Pete Alonso finished at -9 OAA, the second worst among qualified players at the position.
David Stearns emphasized “run prevention” repeatedly on Monday, pointing to both pitching and defense as areas the Mets must improve. While Alonso’s defense isn’t always as bad as the metrics suggest, his errors have often proven costly.
Offensively, Contreras doesn’t provide Alonso’s power. He hit 20 home runs with 80 RBI this past year, posting a .257/.344/.447 slash line. In 2023, despite playing only 84 games, he managed 15 home runs. Regular time at DH may have helped him stay more productive at the plate.
From a contract perspective, Contreras is set to earn $18 million in 2026 and $18.5 million in 2027, with a $17.5 million team option for 2028—still far less annually than Alonso is expected to command. The bigger question is whether the Cardinals would have any interest in Mark Vientos.
It’s unlikely they’d view Vientos as a long-term third baseman, even if Nolan Arenado were dealt. However, he could replace Contreras at a much lower cost, slotting into a young lineup that underperformed this past year—meaning he’d fit the current roster dynamic.
Free agency will also provide the Mets with alternatives at first base. Ryan O’Hearn, for example, paired a strong offensive season with solid defense. Stearns has leaned heavily on free agency since taking over, and so far it has yielded better results than trades. That said, pursuing this route won’t do much to appease fans who are hesitant to see Alonso leave.
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