Mets manager Mickey Callaway said earlier this week that Jay Bruce would get lots of time at first base when he soon returns from the DL.

What could Bruce at first base this season mean for Triple-A Las Vegas first baseman Peter Alonso? And what could it mean in 2019 and beyond?

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The only way playing Bruce at first base over Alonso makes sense is if Bruce can show he's healthy, is hitting for power again, and is capable at the position -- because it may make it possible to trade him this winter.

The way it stands, he's worthless if not hitting home runs, but earning $14M each of the next two seasons. However, if he gets his power back, shows his early struggles were a direct result of his feet and back, and he can play outfield and first base, maybe the Mets can deal him (so long as they eat some his contract, of course).

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That's fair, but Bruce did show in 2017 that he could play first base and outfield, while flashing serious power all season. And there was no one clamoring for him on the free agent market last offseason. Do teams really need to evaluate him at first base to understand how much value he might have?

And even if he plays well, is the shred of a chance that the Mets might be able to trade him (which I'd be shocked by) worth not getting a look at Alonso this season with an eye on 2019 and beyond?

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I would think it's more about showing Bruce can play both positions despite having plantar fasciitis and having been on the DL for what is clearly a lumbar spinal condition. He's also only really played first base a few games here or there. To demonstrate he can do it every day for a couple of weeks is something entirely different.

In regards to Alonso, let me be clear, I'd have him up at some point in August. The next GM really needs to know if this kid can be the answer at first base.

That said, my hunch is the Mets are resistant to this, for now, because he's in such a groove hitting in Triple A lately.

The word on Alonso is, despite him being a great student and dedicated worker, there are still questions about whether he can be fluid and quick enough to be play first base in the big leagues. If this is the case, and he's hitting well and fielding fine in Triple A, it's understandable the Mets might not want to throw his bat off track by making him overwork to catch up to the speed of the big-league game.

This has to happen eventually, but I assume they would rather have Bruce get time at that position and re-establish his value before calling Alonso up.

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We know Alonso is working on his defense down in Triple-A with Tim Teufel, and Sandy Alderson said earlier this season that he had been making strides defensively. So it seems that his bat will make up for his defense enough that the Mets still envision him as their first baseman of the future.

But what happens if Bruce actually hits for power when he returns and needs to be at first base instead of the outfield going forward? And he's immovable? What happens to Alonso in that scenario? Does he shift to a corner outfield position?

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I've never heard anyone from the Mets or with another team's scouting department say Alonso will never be able to play first base in the big leagues, nor that his hit potential will not make up for his flaws around the bag. I mean, there are far worse fielders than he is and they're all justifying their job just fine. He will be no different and maybe even better.

The thing is, it's hard enough for a young hitter to make the transition to facing big-league pitching, especially for the Mets in New York during a season like this... just ask Dominic Smith and Amed Rosario. But, it's even more difficult in the field where a player has to adjust to a much faster, more advanced game.

So, if there is a concern about Alonso, it's that in the midst of hitting well and feeling strong and making strides to be a better fielder, making him have to further adjust and learn against big-league competition might throw him off track a bit and, worse, negatively impact his value to the Mets or another team.

I think this is only relevant, though, because Bruce and Wilmer Flores are on the roster. If they weren't here this would be a non-issue.

And, again, I truly believe this is a temporary situation. Alonso will be up before the season ends. The season is over from a playoff perspective, so it's not like the Mets are desperate for production. The only thing lost by keeping him down and learning and rolling for few more weeks is 40 or so less at-bats to judge him on. In the meantime, they get to see and show that Bruce is healthy and can be a consistent option at that position.

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I hope you're right in your belief that Alonso will be up here before the season ends.

If he's not, the Mets will lose valuable evaluation time that is needed to determine which way to go this offseason when it comes to first base.

It seems that -- at times -- the Mets can be a bit slow to promote their top prospects. They've changed that a bit this year, at least minor league level to minor league level, in quickly promoting Justin Dunn, Andres Gimenez, Anthony Kay, and others. And while that's nice to see, they really do need to get a look at Alonso sooner rather than later.

If they don't, they'll be able to justify not starting the 2019 season with him at the major league level. And if Bruce isn't the answer at first base, the result of that would likely mean another Adrian Gonzalez-type signing manning first base for the first few months of the 2019 season while a 24-year-old Alonso toils in Triple-A.

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