Could the Houston Astros actually complete a Pete Alonso trade with the New York Mets?

The Houston Astros made the surprising decision to release veteran first baseman Jose Abreu after a brutal start to the 2024 MLB season. After signing Abreu to a lucrative deal, it wasn’t the end that was expected. was waiting at the start.

Now, the Astros will be looking for a new first baseman. They have been linked to some options ahead of the upcoming trade deadline.

One of those options listed was the New York Mets star hitting first baseman Pete Alonso. He’s been mentioned in numerous trade rumors and now Houston has been added to the mix.

So far through the 2024 season, Alonso is slashing .232/.310/.461 and has hit 15 home runs to go along with 37 RBIs.

While the idea of ​​trading for Alonso is intriguing, would a move for him actually make sense?

Currently, the Astros hold a record of 33-39. They’re not out of the playoff race, but they should be on a winning streak or two soon. If they succeed, an aggressive trade deadline is not out of the question.

That being said, Houston general manager Dana Brown recently spoke about a major priority ahead of the MLB trade deadline. One of the big things the Astros are looking for is to acquire players with years of control over their contract.

Alonso only has the 2024 season left on his contract. He is set to hit open free agency this offseason.

What does this mean for Houston? Quite simply, if they’re looking for long-term player control, they won’t be interested in the Mets slugger.

It’s possible the Astros trade for Alonso, then quickly decide to sign him to a long-term deal. That would be something that could make sense. But it takes two sides to tango and there is never a guarantee that a contract can be concluded.

To answer the question, Houston could absolutely make a blockbuster deal to acquire Alonso. However, it seems unlikely they would be interested in doing so, given Brown’s priority of finding players with contract control.

Expect to hear more from potential Astros-related trade targets. Alonso’s name will stop being mentioned for Houston, but it seems very unrealistic that they will become aggressive in trading for him.