The New York Mets turned first-half disaster into a memorable second-half rally to sneak into the 2024 MLB postseason after Monday’s unique doubleheader. They also won the National League Wild Card series in dramatic fashion, making a June rumor with the Boston Red Sox feel incredibly distant.
The Mets were 24-33 at the end of May and 40-41 at the end of June. That looked like a team that could sell at the trade deadline, particularly by shopping their slugging first baseman Pete Alonso on an expiring contract.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan floated the idea that the Red Sox should pursue a trade for Alonso, given their proximity to the American League wild-card race. Boston needed right-handed power and first baseman Triston Casas remained out for the extended future.
Instead, the Mets ignited a red-hot run with Jose Iglesias’ “OMG” craze, the presence of Grimace and Francisco Lindor’s MVP campaign, completely turning the season around. Alonso stepped up Thursday night facing elimination against the Milwaukee Brewers and shutdown closer Devin Williams. With one out and two runners on, Alonso crushed a go-ahead, three-run home run to right field as the Mets rallied back to win the game, 4-2, and punch their ticket to the NL Divisional Series.
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As for the Red Sox, second-half inconsistencies left Boston five games out of a playoff spot at the end of the season, missing the postseason for the third straight year.
Casas ended the season healthy so it seems unlikely that the Red Sox would have contact with Alonso in free agency, though the Mets first baseman likely just upped his asking price with the swing of his life in a postseason winner-take-all game.
The Mets battle their division rivals in the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the NLDS on Saturday afternoon at 4:08 p.m. ET.
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