From 2014 to 2017, the Mets had no question as to who would be their opening day first baseman, with Lucas Duda holding down the fort. But after they dealt him at the trading deadline in 2017, the Mets entered camp in February of 2018 with a battle on their hands between Dominic Smith and Adrian Gonzalez. Gonzalez was aided by a Smith injury, and opened 2018 as the starting first baseman. He was released before the midway point in the season, and the Mets had a plethora of players try their hand at first, including Smith, Jay Bruce, Kevin Plawecki, Jose Bautista, Wilmer Flores, and Phillip Evans. As the 2018 season comes to a close, it seems as though the Mets will have up to five candidates for first base in 2019. Here’s a case for each one of them.
Jay Bruce
There are multiple angles to take to make a case for Bruce. He is easily the most accomplished of any of the candidates. A three-time all-star, a two-time silver slugger, two top-10 MVP finishes, and he’s 14th among active players in terms of career home runs, at 286. Bruce has been in the league for 10 years and has been on multiple playoff runs.
Bruce has been through the wringer in his career, and seems to have a position of favor within the organization. He was acquired in 2016 at the deadline, traded a year later to the Indians, and then signed a three- year, $39 million deal in the offseason. Although the defense may not be there, Bruce can by a dynamic offensive player when healthy.
In his 2017 stint, he hit .256/.321/.520 with 29 home runs before he was traded in the dog days of August. Bruce was injured for most of the 2018 season, and only appeared in 94 games. Bruce is due $26 million more, and doesn’t seem to have a future in the outfield for the Mets, both which may factor into the Mets plan of attack with him.
Wilmer Flores
The Met legend played 83 games at first base this year, leading the team. The former third baseman-turned shortstop-turned-second-baseman-turned-first-baseman had an average offensive year for a National League first baseman, and struggled defensively. Flores continued his pursuit to run like a sloth stuck in molasses and had heavier feet than Shaq wearing ankle weights. There are obvious red flags with Flores, like the notion that his salary will jump considerably as he heads to arbitration for the third and final time, making him a non-tender candidate.
Flores is also said to have arthritis in both his knees, until Mickey Callaway said he didn’t. Callaway then said Flores had pre-arthritis in both his knees, until Callaway rejected the existence of such a medical issue. So you can draw as your own explanation as to Flores’ injury, and it’ll probably be as sound of one as whatever the Mets tell you. But having issues in both your knees at the age of 27 is not a great problem to have.
Dominic Smith
Smith was originally a first-round pick of the Mets, and was touted as the heir to the throne of Lucas Duda. Smith struggled upon arriving in Queens in 2017, and did not hold ground entering 2018 Spring Training. Smith pulled a muscle in his leg, and missed all of March and gave up the job to Adrian Gonzalez. Smith wound up in left field for Las Vegas when Peter Alonso forgot that he wasn’t supposed to be the Mets’ best first base prospect.
When Gonzalez was released, Smith was called up to replace him and, again, struggled. Smith bounced around from Queens and Las Vegas, was the 26th man for a doubleheader, and then got the starting nod when Flores fell off the map with injuries. Smith showcased exquisite defensive ability at first, and his bat seemed to turn the corner. Could Smith finally be reaching his potential?
Peter Alonso
What hasn’t Alonso done to deserve a call-up? Alonso first came onto the radar in 2017 when he began to shine with the Port St. Lucie Mets. Pete began the 2018 season in Double-A Binghamton where he hit a lot of home runs. He slugged his way to a promotion to Triple-A Las Vegas, where he hit even more home runs. Once the minor league season ended, Alonso was told… he wasn’t going to be promoted.
Alonso was recently named the Sterling Minor League Player of the Year Award, for a season that saw him hit .285/.395/.579 with 36 homers and 119 RBIs between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Las Vegas.
Although he slugs like a pro, the defense is an obvious question mark. It has been said to be so bad that it could be a reason for the Mets to deal him in the offseason, and the reason he didn’t get promoted in September. But on the flip side, some scouts and coaches pointed to some significant improvement defensively at first base, and in a twist of irony, Alonso was named Defensive Player of the Month in July.
The future for Peter Alonso, one of MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects, is a curious one, that could end in Mets stardom, or bust status with another team. Only time will tell how Pete’s future will work out, and for the Mets’ best interest, we should all hope it’s as a star wearing orange and blue.
