Could Houston Astros Actually Pull Off Pete Alonso Trade With New York Mets?

The Houston Astros need a first baseman and Mets' star Pete Alonso has been linked as a target.

Sep 14, 2022; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) reacts after striking out against the Chicago Cubs during the fourth inning at Citi Field. / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

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, this was not the ending that anyone originally expected.

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

One of those options listed was New York Mets star slugging first baseman Pete Alonso. He has been mentioned in numerous trade rumors and now Houston has been thrown into the mix.

Throughout the 2024 season so far, Alonso has slashed .232/.310/.461 and has hit 15 home runs to go along with 37 RBI.

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

Currently, the Astros hold a 33-39 record. They are not out of the playoff hunt, but they need to get a winning streak or two running soon. If they can do that, an aggressive trade deadline is not out of the question.

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

Alonso only has the 2024 season left on his contract. He's set to hit open free agency in the offseason.

What does that mean for Houston? Quite simply, if they're looking for player control long-term, they're not going to have interest in the Mets' slugger.

It's possible that the Astros could trade for Alonso and then quickly move ot 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 worked out.

To answer the question, Houston absolutely could pull off a blockbuster deal to acquire Alonso. However, it doesn't seem likely that they would have interest in doing so based on Brown's priority of finding players with contract control.

Expect to hear more potential trade targets linked to the Astros. Alonso's name is going to stop being mentioned for Houston, but it seems very unrealistic that they would get agressive to trade for him.