The New York Mets' new front office has indicated a desire for first baseman Pete Alonso to finish out his career with the team, and Alonso has told teammates that his preference is to spend the rest of his career with the Mets. However, his agent, Scott Boras, has a long history of taking his clients to free agency when they get this close (next winter for Alonso) because that's usually where they'll land the best deal. The Mets have listened when teams have called about him, but they've never seriously considered trading him -- at least not yet. New York could re-evaluate the situation with Alonso at the trade deadline this summer, but the most likely outcome is they'll keep him through the 2024 season and then be willing to match the best offer he gets on the open market. The 29-year-old slugger had a career-low .217 batting average in 2023, but he also ranked third in home runs with 46 and second in RBI (118) in all of baseball.

The Athletic's Jim Bowden doesn't think the New York Mets are suitors for Chicago White Sox right-hander Dylan Cease this offseason because their new president of baseball operations, David Stearns, wants to be able to see the team's prospects for himself in spring training and wants to build the organization through scouting and player development, and to make a trade of this magnitude would set that process back. If the White Sox even approached the Mets about a trade, they'd likely be after some of the Mets' top prospects in Luisangel Acuna, Kevin Parada, Drew Gilbert, Jett Williams and Mike Vasil, potentially among others. Cease has two years of club control remaining and Cy Young-winning upside if he can put everything together in 2024.

The Pittsburgh Pirates avoided salary arbitration with right-hander JT Brubaker on Wednesday by agreeing to a one-year, $2.275 million deal, according to a source. Brubaker won't receive any kind of raise after missing all of the 2023 season following his Tommy John surgery in April. The 30-year-old said his goal this year is to return to the Pirates around the All-Star break. He made a career-high 28 starts for Pittsburgh in 2022 and went 3-12 with a 4.69 ERA (3.92 FIP) and 1.46 WHIP with 54 walks and 147 strikeouts in 144 innings pitched. Brubaker really hasn't been much of a fantasy asset at all in his three big-league seasons, posting a 4.99 ERA (4.43 FIP) and 1.38 WHIP with a 23.3 percent strikeout rate over 315 2/3 innings over 63 outings (61 starts).

Left-handed relief pitcher Hoby Milner and the Milwaukee Brewers avoided salary arbitration on Wednesday by settling at $2.05 million for the upcoming 2024 season, according to a source. Milner had the best season of his career in 2023, going 2-1 with a 1.82 ERA (3.13 FIP), 0.96 WHIP, 13 walks and 59 strikeouts in 64 1/3 relief innings over 73 appearances out of Milwaukee's bullpen. The 32-year-old will return in 2024 as a left-handed setup man in front of closer Devin Williams in the late innings. In seven years in the big leagues, Milner has recorded a 3.53 ERA (4.13 FIP) and 1.24 WHIP with no saves and a 22.7 percent strikeout rate in 206 1/3 innings, all coming in relief.

Free-agent right-hander Jake Woodford signed a minor-league deal with the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday that includes an invitation to spring training, according to sources. Woodford had a 4.29 ERA in his four seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals. He also had a 1.37 WHIP, 63 walks and 119 total strikeouts over 80 appearances (18 starts) covering 184 2/3 innings pitched. Woodford became a free agent this offseason when he was non-tendered by St. Louis in November. The 27-year-old had a bloated 6.23 ERA with 22 walks and 29 strikeouts in 47 2/3 innings over 15 appearances (eight starts) in 2023 for the Red Birds. Given the White Sox's rebuilding direction heading into the 2024 season, there's a good chance that Woodford will get opportunities as a starter and reliever at the major-league level this upcoming campaign.