Potential SF Giants power-hitting trade target is already off of the table

Many SF Giants fans want the front office to make a big splash this winter. However, there is one name you can already cross off of the list - Pete Alonso.

Potential SF Giants power-hitting trade target is already off of the table

The New York Mets introduced David Stearns as the next president of baseball operations on Monday and he answered a wide array of questions. One question that may not go away anytime soon is what his plans are with Alonso.

For the time being, Stearns indicated that he is not trading the homegrown talent according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.Com:

Alonso has found his name in the rumor mill lately given that he has one year of team control remaining. That is typically a time when teams try to get clarity on a player's long-term fit with the club.

For the Mets, the decision is whether they should trade him now, thereby maximizing his remaining trade value, or attempt to work out an extension. The third option, which will become a talking point if they are sellers next year, is to trade him prior to the trade deadline.

Though, the returns on rentals are typically not great, so perhaps, it would make sense in that scenario to try and gain a compensatory pick if he rejects a qualifying offer and signs elsewhere.

The 28-year-old will be one of the more coveted players in next year's free-agent class. He is coming off of a solid 2023 campaign in which he registered a .217/.318/.504 line (122 OPS+) with 46 home runs, 118 RBI, and 92 runs in 658 plate appearances. This includes a 9.9 percent walk rate, 23.0 percent strikeout rate, and a .287 ISO.

Alonso has reached at least 30 home runs in each of the last four full seasons. On the other hand, the Giants will be coming up on the 20th anniversary next year of the last time a player hit 30 home runs in a season. I bet you can guess who it was.

For a lot of reasons, the power-starved Giants would seem like a logical fit for Alonso. However, this all appears to be a moot point if Stearns is taken at his word. Though, circumstances could change and if an extension cannot be worked out, maybe the Mets revisit this idea. For the time being, it appears to be off of the table.