Reds emerge as unexpected solution for the Mets after Pete Alonso signs with Orioles

The MLB Winter Meetings were quite unkind to the Cincinnati Reds. President of baseball operations Nick Krall and his entourage came up short in their negotiations with Kyle Schwarber, and the fallout was not well received by the Reds fanbase. As he's prone to do, Krall put his foot in his mouth, and the Cincinnati faithful were none too pleased with the Reds' lack of spending.

But as bad as the Reds' performance was at this year's Winter Meetings, the New York Mets may have endured an even worse trip to Orlando this past week. New York lost their closer Edwin Diaz to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and slugging first baseman Pete Alonso to the Baltimore Orioles.

The Mets already have a backup plan for Diaz. Prior to the All-Star's departure to LA, New York signed former Milwaukee Brewers and New York Yankees reliever Devin Williams. But without Alonso, the Mets now need a first baseman, and preferably one with some pop. Could the Reds supply the Mets with a stopgap solution in the form of Christian Encarnacion-Strand?

The Reds could trade Christian Encarnacion-Strand to the Mets after Pete Alonso left New York to join the Orioles

Encarnacion-Strand opened the 2025 season on the Reds' Opening Day roster, but after suffering a lower back injury in mid-April, landed on the 10-day IL. Upon his return, Encarnacion-Strand failed to live up to the hype, and after a month's worth of struggles, was optioned to Triple-A Louisville where he'd remain for the rest of the season.

In his stead, Spencer Steer became a Gold Glove-caliber defender at first base, and rookie slugger Sal Stewart looks to have usurped Encarnacion-Strand as the Reds' right-handed, bat-first power-hitter heading into next season.

In 62 games with the Louisville Bats last season, Encarnacion-Strand hit .245/.310/.493 with 11 home runs and 37 RBI. The 26-year-old still has prodigious power, as evidenced by his .249 ISO and 34 extra-base hits at Triple-A.

But Encarnacion-Strand owned an embarrassing 46.6% chase rate during his 130 Major League at-bats last season — a number that's only gotten worse since he made his MLB debut in 2023. Reds manager Terry Francona showed a lack of patience for poor situational hitting last season, and Encarnacion-Strand was one of the Reds' biggest offenders.

If the Reds could work out a deal with the Mets for an experienced reliever, it could be seen as a win-win trade for both organizations. A left-handed pitcher like Brooks Raley, who previously pitched for the Reds in 2020, could be a nice addition to the bullpen heading into next season. Whether he'd be available in negotiations is unknown, but Cincinnati needs to find some reliable relief arms, and Raley would certainly qualify.

Mets owner Steve Cohen has money to burn, so there's no reason to think New York has to settle for a bounce-back bat like Encarnacion-Strand. But if the Mets are truly looking to sign a big-time bat like Kyle Tucker and trade for Detroit Tigers' ace Tarik Skubal, they'll have to look for value elsewhere. The Reds might be able to provide if Encarnacion-Strand is made available.