The 2024 Mariners lineup will hopefully look a lot deeper than it did in game 161 of the 2023 season. In the most important game of the season, the Mariners 6-9 guys were as follows: Dylan Moore, Ty France, Josh Rojas, and Sam Haggerty. That is not a lineup that can compete for a World Series, and ultimately that is why the Mariners failed to even make the playoffs in 2023. Below, I will give 3 options to trade for to help this team get even better.
1. Pete Alonso, 1B (New York Mets)
Pete Alonso could seriously be available this WInter. His contract is up at the end of the 2024 season, and the New York Mets are a bit of a disaster. Could they compete in 2023? Sure. But the reality is, they cannot compete in their own division with the way the Atlanta Braves and the Philidelphia Phillies any time soon. The Phillies are in back-to-back NLCS appearances, while the Braves won 104 games this last season.
Alonso is one of the best power hitters in the game. His career low in home runs is 37 (not counting 2020's 60-game season). He will be turning 29 this December and is projected to make $22,000,000 in his last year of arbitration, according to MLB Trade Rumors. In 2023, Pete hit just .217 but hit 46 Home Runs and had 118 RBIs.
There is a fairly good chance that the Mets hang onto Pete, at least until the Trade Deadline. But if there is a team who could send an absolute haul for Alonso, it is the Mariners. A player like Pete Alonso should excite Mariners fans. But, to get him, you will need to part with some prospects, and maybe even some Major League talent. The Mets will not just hand over the face of their franchise, you will have to go get him.