Is it po sible slugging superstars Pete Alonso of the Mets and Juan Soto of the Yankees trade places this winter? While the most probable scenario has one or both star free agents staying put, the po sibility of the mega-stars swapping teams shouldnt be considered completely fanciful. Weve long heard the Mets , especially if things dont come together quickly with Alonso. And if the Mets do sign Soto, Alonso becomes the logical fallback option for the Yankees, especially since even team owner Steve Cohen probably wont sign both in his 110 percent tax situation. And under those circumstances, word is the Yankees would seriously consider Alonso. The Mets could make a push for Juan Soto in the offseason. Charles Wenzelberg More From Jon Heyman While Cohen very politely didnt go for Yankees homegrown hero and American League home run record-holder Aaron Judge two winters ago, theres no etiquette about staying away from a rental, even a mega-star rental such as Soto. That said, the Yankees will make Soto their top priority, according to sources no surprise since they loved him in winter and likely love him even more Shogo Akiyama Jersey now that he has transformed their lineup. The Yankees, in fact, seem primed to make a record offer if you count Shohei Ohtanis $700M deal as $462M based on deferrals/net present value. Soto is not only an on-base machine (an AL best .478) thats brought the Yankees back to Bronx Bomber status, hes already bonding with Yankee fans, . Pete Alonso could become a fallback option for the Yankees if they lose Juan Soto. Jason Szenes for the NY Post But if the Mets somehow outbid the Yankees for Soto (po sible since Cohen is MLBs richest owner), Alonso makes sense in The Bronx as not just the only one who could approximate Sotos production but someone who can handle New York. The Mets are expected to make a run at Alonso first, of course. However, the widely held belief is new baseball president David Stearns emphasizes age in free agency, which is only smart Stearns (and everyone else) coveted 25-year-old Japanese star Yoshinobu Yamamoto so Soto at 25 compared to Alonsos 29 actually may be more to his liking. Of course, the other factor is the fans, and Mets fans hope Alonso stays forever. Stearns made cool, calculated deals to sustain winning in small-market Milwaukee (see Josh Hader), and Cohen wisely pivoted from Cooperstown-bound pitchers Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. But if anyone thinks the Stearns-Cohen Mets wont consider the thoughts of fans, well, as one rival pointed out, cold logic would have sent Alonso away this winter as the Mets headed into an alleged transition season. Cohen didnt buy the team to become le s popular, and he surely understands the lo s of Alonso wont be well-received. He could change the story, of course, by signing Soto, but considering Sotos probable preference for pinstripes, he might have to outbid the Yankees by a lot, to the point where Alonso might actually become the better bargain. Pete Alonsos 198 homers since debuting in 2019 lead MLB. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post The Mets would likely have to outbid the Yankees if they want to sign Juan Soto. Charles Wenzelberg One more thing to consider: Alonso consistently says he loves the Mets and theres no reason to doubt him but its also clear hes always taken the busine s side seriously, going year-to-year contractually even before hiring mega-agent Scott Boras, whos known for maximizing value. But while Alonso is a unique player his 198 homers since debuting in 2019 lead MLB the first-base market is unpredictable. Prince Fielder, Joey Votto and Albert Pujols signed for $200M-plus years ago, but the Mets are sure to note recent deals, including Paul Goldschmidt ($130M), Freddie Freeman ($162M, deferrals) and Matt Olson ($168M). Its fair to note Freeman was two years older, Goldschmidt a year from free agency, and Olson not only two years away but also escaping Oakland for his hometown powerhouse Braves team. The Alonso camp surely prefers to mention free agents around 30, like Anthony Rendon ($245M) and Xander Bogaerts ($285M). The Cubs, whove shown interest in Alonso, may have found their first baseman in Michael Busch, but the Giants, Mariners, Astros and Rangers could be candidates to sign Alonso. The best outside option for Alonso, though, is probably the Yankees. Austin Wynns Jersey