Pete Alonso could be Yankees’ Plan B if they can’t keep Juan Soto in free agency

Should nan Yankees beryllium incapable to make bully connected their “top priority” and re-sign superstar free supplier Juan Soto, 1 backup scheme involves Mets slugging prima Pete Alonso positive pitching stars, possibly erstwhile Cy Young winners Corbin Burnes aliases Blake Snell.

The Yankees are figuring they mightiness beryllium capable to motion 3 to 4 stars if they neglect to motion Soto. Switch-hitter Anthony Santander is different sanction that interests them. So is Alex Bregman, whose prize is that he’s often an October standout — thing needed astir here.

They will besides look astatine nan apical pitchers, including Burnes and Snell, who they tried for past wintertime and who will opt retired of their contracts. Max Fried, Jack Flaherty (who sounded a bully Game 1 against them), Yusei Kikuchi and Sean Manaea (who’s besides judge to opt out) are different possibilities.

But from here, Alonso, who’s tough, clutch and conflict tested successful New York and could make a worthy complement to Soto, is an imperfect fresh arsenic nan Soto replacement since he’s a right-handed hitter arsenic good arsenic a homegrown Met.

An discourtesy built astir 3 right-handed sluggers isn’t optimal. Soto is nan cleanable lefty hitter to harvester pinch Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. The switch-hitter Santander besides whitethorn make much consciousness to support immoderate lefty-righty balance.

The bigger issue, of course, is retaining Soto, pinch its value becoming moreover clearer arsenic nan Yankees effort to triumph this World Series pinch a lineup befitting a TV sitcom — it’s 2 ½ Men successful October. (Soto and Stanton are two, and Gleyber Torres nan half.)

The Yankees are understandably seen arsenic nan favorites to motion Soto since they are MLB’s highest-revenue squad and he mostly seems to beryllium enjoying his clip here. The rumor is going to beryllium nan contract, and caller history suggests nan Yankees won’t automatically beryllium nan precocious bidder. The Yankees do look to understand it’s going to return a statement of astatine slightest 13 years, truthful that’s surely a commencement (Soto, who conscionable turned 26 Friday, is believed to want to play until he’s 40, truthful possibly 14 aliases much is nan magic number).

The Mets, who are expected to play for Soto, person deeper pockets, and nan arsenic deep-pocketed Dodgers could beryllium a acheronian horse. LA is making truthful overmuch gross connected two-way world superstar Shohei Ohtani sponsorship/marketing deals that successful summation to being nan first 50-50 man, he besides qualifies arsenic a rate cow, allowing them to proceed to motion stars. The Post reported nan stacked Dodgers scheme to spell aft Soto if he’s consenting to spell backmost west, and apt galore much big-market teams will covet a uncommon proven free-agent prima successful his mid-20s.

The Yankees yet did nan correct point to clasp nan awesome Judge — and yes, he’s still awesome — acknowledgment to squad proprietor Hal Steinbrenner, who collapsed a divided determination beneath him and matched nan Giants’ opening $360M bid. The homegrown, historical Judge had a beardown propulsion to return and near superior money connected nan array arsenic nan Padres signaled they would person topped $400M, and nan Giants apt would have, too.

Soto seems to for illustration it successful The Bronx. But who’s to opportunity if Soto is consenting to motion for little aft enduring 2 trades and waiting for free agency? And if anything, nan value is going up pinch his large postseason.