There has been lots of buzz about the Mets potentially shaking up their offensive core this offseason — something president of baseball operations David Stearns suggested was possible while speaking during his end-of-season news conference.
Since then, the Mets have made both Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil available via trade.
Meanwhile, Pete Alonso is a free agent for the second time in as many years.
So big changes could be coming for New York.
The possible trades of Nimmo and/or McNeil add a layer of intrigue to the offseason. And a deal that ships Nimmo out of New York — something that would likely be a bit complicated given his contract and full no-trade clause — would obviously create a domino effect when it comes to what the Mets do with the offense.
Regarding the infield specifically, though, an Alonso return would take up one huge spot — though his willingness to DH more often is something to keep an eye on.
But no matter what happens with Alonso, the Mets should be exploring third base and second base options via free agency.
Here's who they should be targeting, ranked…
5. 1B/3B Munetaka Murakami
Murakami, who will be entering his age-26 season in 2026, has absolutely massive power.
His biggest power season came in 2022, when he slugged .710 and smashed a career-high 56 homers.
Murakami was limited to just 56 games in 2025, but he made the most of them, smacking 22 homers while slashing .273/.379/.663.
The elephant(s) in the room? Murakami strikes out a ton and is not a plus defender.
But if the Mets lose Alonso, they could do a lot worse than Murakami, who could be a true difference-maker if his power translates to the majors and is five years younger than Alonso.
4. 1B/3B Kazuma Okamoto
Okamoto — a six-time All-Star in Japan — has led the Central league in home runs three times (2020, 2021, and 2023), and has an .882 OPS in 1,074 NPB games.
And he is a better fit than Murakami for two reasons, despite being 29 years old.
First, while there are some questions about how Okamoto's power will translate, he does not have the strikeout issues Murakami has.
Second, Okamoto is a plus defender, having won two Golden Glove awards (2021 and 2022).
Okamoto could be a replacement at first base if Alonso departs via free agency. He could also fit at third base if the Mets decide to go in a different direction there.
3. 2B/SS Bo Bichette
Bichette had a huge bounce back season for the Blue Jays in 2025, hitting .311/.357/.483 with an .840 OPS.
Ahead of his age-28 campaign Bichette seems destined for a big commitment in terms of years. And with the Mets, he'd have to switch positions (likely to second base, where he played during the World Series against the Dodgers).
It can be argued that the Mets need to add two bats this offseason — Alonso and one other or (in a scenario where Alonso leaves) two new ones.
Bichette, and the hitter right after him on this list, would be ideal fits.
With the exception of his down 2024 season, Bichette — who has a .294 career batting average — has been an offensive force during his seven-year career, putting the ball in play a ton while racking up doubles (he smacked 44 in just 139 games in 2025) and averaging 24 homers per 162 games.
2. 3B/2B Alex Bregman
Bregman would bring three important elements to the Mets: a plus bat, plus defense, and leadership.
Offensively, while Bregman might not get back to the heights he experienced with the Astros earlier in his career, he remains an above average hitter. In 114 games last season for the Red Sox, Bregman slashed .273/.360/.462 with 18 homers and 28 doubles — in a year that was interrupted by a quad strain. The 128 OPS+ he put up was his best since 2022, and he continued to be elite when it came to making contact.
Bregman struck out just 70 times in 495 plate appearances in 2025, and has never fanned more than 97 times in a season.
A look at his advanced numbers show that Bregman was in the 79th percentile in batting run value. And he was near the top of the league in squared-up percentage (97th percentile), chase percentage (95th percentile), whiff percentage (92nd percentile), and strikeout rate (88th percentile).
Defensively, Bregman was strong at third base, where he was in the 83rd percentile and worth 3 OAA (Outs Above Average).
In Boston's dugout and in the clubhouse, Bregman had a huge impact — something that has been the case throughout his career.
For a Mets team in need of a jolt in the lineup, improved defense, and perhaps some more leadership, Bregman checks all the boxes. As a bonus, he would also give them a needed right-handed bat in a lineup that is lefty-heavy.
1. 1B Pete Alonso
There's the logical side of this — Alonso, while not a great defender, is a really good hitter at a position of need for the Mets, and has proven he can excel in New York.
Then there's the emotional side of it.
In addition to what he brings at the plate, Alonso has been a terrific Met off the field, is beloved by most of the fanbase, and has repeatedly expressed a desire over the last few seasons to remain in New York.
But the most important thing here is that Alonso is a really damn good hitter, and his advanced stats back it up. He was in the 90th percentile or better this past season in xwOBA, xBA, xSLG, average exit velocity, barrel percentage, hard hit percentage, and bat speed.
And while Alonso could perhaps be seeking a deal worth five or six years at roughly $30 million per season, it's not a slam dunk that any team will be prepared to give that to him. The guess here is that the most logical fits for Alonso (beyond the Mets) could be the Red Sox, Nationals, Orioles, and Reds. But the O's just added Taylor Ward and have huge starting rotation issues, the Reds have been linked more to Kyle Schwarber, the Nats aren't ready to contend, and the Sox could be an unlikely fit if they re-sign Bregman.
So it's possible Alonso falls back into the Mets' lap, though it will obviously take a bigger deal in terms of length than it did last offseason.
As the Mets weigh whether to reunite with Alonso, it's also worth noting that they don't have anyone ready to step in at first base if he leaves.
Before they re-signed Alonso last offseason, they floated the idea that Mark Vientos could be his replacement. But after Vientos had a down year (.702 OPS), it's impossible to see New York going in that direction for 2026. As far as options in the minors, the power-hitting Ryan Clifford could theoretically become one at some point soon. But he's not ready, and doesn't have the same kind of polished approach at the plate that Carson Benge and Jett Williams possess.
With Scott Boras as Alonso's agent, this will likely not be easy. But as was the case last offseason, the most sensible outcome is Alonso winding up back with the Mets. In that regard, nothing has changed.
