Mets eyeing trade for this ace right-hander?

MLB.com is keeping track of all the latest Mets-related free agent and trade rumors right here.

Jan. 30: Mets 'in talks' with Padres about potential Cease deal (report)
While it was reported earlier in the day that the Cubs were trying to land star right-hander Dylan Cease in a trade with the Padres, MLB Network insider Jon Heyman wrote in an article for the New York Post that the Mets are also eyeing the 29-year-old.

Cease enjoyed a bounce-back season with San Diego last year after he posted a 4.58 ERA over 33 starts for the White Sox the prior season. In 2024, he pitched to a 3.47 ERA and finished fourth in NL Cy Young Award voting.

The Mets have made several moves to address their starting rotation this offseason. With Luis Severino signing with the Athletics and Jose Quintana a free agent, New York re-signed left-hander Sean Manaea after adding right-handers Clay Holmes, Frankie Montas and Griffin Canning. But the addition of Cease would give the club a proven ace atop the rotation after already adding the prize of this offseason, superstar slugger Juan Soto, to the lineup.

Coming off a surprise run to the NL Championship Series last fall, the Mets are looking to take the next step in 2025, and Cease could certainly help that cause in a big way.

Jan. 25: Cohen offers 'brutally honest' view of 'exhausting' Alonso talks
Some Mets fans made their voices clear during Amazin' Day at Citi Field on Saturday: "We want Pete!"

That, of course, is in reference to Pete Alonso, the team's longtime first baseman who remains a free agent. According to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman, Alonso will most likely join the Blue Jays or end up back with the Mets. However, Mets owner Steve Cohen indicated to those fans on Saturday that it's getting harder to envision Alonso returning to Queens.

"I will never say no; there's always the possibility [of re-signing Alonso]," Cohen said. "But the reality is we're moving forward, and we continue to bring in players. As we continue to bring in players, the reality is it becomes harder to fit Pete into what is a very expensive group of players that we already have. That's where we are. I'm being brutally honest."

Cohen said he doesn't like the structure of the contracts that have been offered to the Mets during negotiations with Alonso. Although the particulars are unknown, MLB Network Radio's Jim Duquette reported earlier this month that Alonso's camp put a three-year deal with opt-outs on the table for the Mets -- and only for the Mets.

"I don't like what's been presented to us," Cohen said. "Listen, maybe that changes, and I'll always stays flexible. If it stays this way, I think we're going to have to get used to the fact that we may have to go forward with the existing players that we have."

Cohen also termed the Alonso negotiations as "exhausting."

"[Juan] Soto was tough. This is worse."

Jan. 17: Have the Mets closed the door on a potential Alonso reunion?
Even after landing Juan Soto earlier this offseason, the Mets have kept the door open for a potential reunion with free-agent first baseman Pete Alonso. However, with the two sides still far apart in their negotiations, the club now considers it the most likely outcome that Alonso will sign elsewhere, reports SNY’s Andy Martino.

The Mets made another move to bolster their offense on Thursday, reaching a one-year deal with outfielder Jesse Winker. Per Martino, the Winker deal was part of the Mets’ post-Alonso pivot plan, which was also expected to include signing a reliever. One day after that report, the Mets agreed to a two-year deal with lefty reliever A.J. Minter.

According to a report by Joel Sherman in the New York Post, the Mets made "what they perceived as a last-ditch effort" to re-sign Alonso by offering a three-year deal in the neighborhood of $70 million, slightly more than what another slugging first baseman -- Christian Walker -- received when signing a three-year, $60 million contract with the Astros earlier this offseason.

While there aren’t many obvious fits left for Alonso outside of Queens, The Athletic's (subscription required) Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon report that at least two other clubs are engaged in discussions with the slugger. The Blue Jays are one of those teams. The other is a mystery, though Alonso was recently linked to the Giants and Angels.

The Toronto connection is interesting, considering the Blue Jays already have first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., a pending free agent, on their roster. With the two sides reportedly far apart in their contract extension negotiations, Guerrero has been mentioned as a potential trade candidate. However, according to Rosenthal, the club’s intention is not to sign Alonso and then trade Guerrero. Rather, the Jays are hoping to add Alonso to the fold to improve their playoff chances in Guerrero’s final year under club control.

Jan. 7: If Mets don’t land Alonso, will they sign Bregman?
The Mets have already spent more than $900 million in free agency this offseason, signing superstar outfielder Juan Soto and pitchers Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes and Frankie Montas. But New York still has a void in its infield and could consider a big move to fill that hole.

Re-signing Pete Alonso remains the most likely outcome for the Mets, but if they aren’t able to close the gap in negotiations with their longtime first baseman, they could pivot to another star free agent -- third baseman Alex Bregman, a Scott Boras client like Alonso.

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale has talked to several executives who said they think the Mets will look to add Bregman if they don’t sign Alonso, with Mark Vientos shifting across the diamond to take over as the team’s new starting first baseman in that case.

However, SNY's Andy Martino doesn't think Bregman to the Mets is all that likely. In Martino's view, if the Mets don't re-sign Alonso, "the most probable scenario" would involve the team going with its internal options -- Vientos, Brett Baty, Luisangel Acu?a, Ronny Mauricio and others -- to cover the infield corners.