New York Mets Eye Juan Soto, Prepare Backup Plan with Corbin Burnes and Pete Alonso

The New York Mets are aggressively pursuing superstar Juan Soto and are among five teams confirmed to have made an offer. While the Mets remain optimistic about their chances, they are also preparing a robust backup plan should they fail to land Soto.

Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly outlines potential fallback strategies for teams in the Soto sweepstakes. For the Mets, Kelly predicts they would pivot to signing both Corbin Burnes and Pete Alonso. He notes that with the financial backing of owner Steve Cohen, the Mets could secure Alonso and Burnes, and still have the flexibility to re-sign one of their recent pitchers like Luis Severino or Sean Manaea, or even trade for Garrett Crochet from the Chicago White Sox.

Recently, the Mets signed Frankie Montas to a two-year, $34 million deal on December 1. Adding Burnes, projected by Spotrac to sign a six-year, $180 million contract, would further strengthen their new starting rotation. Given the recent contract trends, Burnes' deal could exceed these projections.

Securing Alonso will be the Mets' primary focus if they miss out on Soto. Alonso, a homegrown talent and fan favorite, is expected to command a six-year, $174 million contract, according to Spotrac.

​These potential acquisitions are aimed at pushing the Mets towards a World Series appearance in 2025, after their near-miss in 2024. Burnes, a four-time All-Star and Cy Young Award winner, would take on the role of ace in the Mets' rotation, while Alonso would continue his career with the only team he's ever played for.