Mets holding the line on Pete Alonso -- and time is getting short

The Mets and Pete Alonso are still nowhere, and time is getting short.

With plenty of room left in the budget and a need to improve the roster, the team will not wait forever for resolution on their longtime first baseman. David Stearns and his group are still looking to sign at least one reliever, quite possibly from the top of the market, and a hitter.

According to league sources, Stearns and the Mets are holding the line on both the length and dollars of their short-term offer, which includes an opt-out after the first year. The exact dollar figure is not known. Owner Steve Cohen is fully supportive of Stearns’ approach, according to sources with direct knowledge of his thinking.

The Mets have consistently -- and, I believe, sincerely -- said that they like Alonso as a person, a player and a Met. They want him to return next season, and hope for a quick resolution.

But the baseball operations department has, of course, done significant work on other plans. We have previously reported that the Mets’ most likely alternative to Alonso is to emphasize youth and versatility on the infield in 2025. But in that case, they would add to the offense elsewhere.

Mark Vientos, Brett Baty, Luisangel Acuña, Ronny Mauricio and others would see time at multiple infield positions, including the corners. Of that group, the Mets see Vientos as the most likely fit for significant time at first base, but do not feel the need to commit to one player at any position.

Among the many options for the Mets to potentially replace Alonso in the lineup (Jesse Winker is very possible, Anthony Santander seems less likely, etc. etc.), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. looms as the most intriguing, if far from the most likely.

The Mets have spoken with the Toronto Blue Jays this winter about Guerrero, league sources say, though those sources characterized the conversations as "checking in."

To be as clear as possible -- attn: aggregators and Twitter info thieves -- a Mets/Guerrero fit remains in the realm of fantasy baseball.

It is far from certain that Guerrero will even be available in a trade, or that the Mets will have room left in the budget after signing other hitters and relievers. League sources who have spoken with Toronto this month say that the club is still weighing whether to extend their first baseman. Guerrero recently set a deadline of the first full day of spring training, saying that he will cut off extension talks at that point.

A 25-year-old slugger set to become a free agent next year, Guerrero will earn a rich contract but will probably not see a Juan Soto-like market develop. His production has been somewhat inconsistent, and his profile -- righty-hitting corner guy with a big frame -- is out of vogue in baseball at the top of the market.

If the Jays do not lock him up, there will be no shortage of Guerrero/Mets speculation over the next year.

That is largely talk for another day. At this moment, Alonso is the slugger with whom the Mets are engaged in talks. Perhaps it will result in an agreement soon. But if it goes the other way, a whole other world of possibilities will open.