After the Mets' record spending spree failed to even bring them a winning record in late July of last season, the team instead made headlines for selling instead of buying, leaving. Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, and several others in various deals before the trade deadline. With the Mets reportedly open to considering all options for short-term talent, the club has even had some discussions about a move. Pete Alonso, who is a free agent this coming season. The Brewers and Cubs were among the teams that at least checked on Alonso's status, but apparently no deal was struck, and the Polar Bear still wears a Mets uniform to this day.
The trade test comes after, however, the Mets made an effort to lock Alonso up for the rest of the decade. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that the Mets offered Alonso a seven-year, $158MM extension last June, which would have kept him in Queens for his 29-35 seasons. According to Sherman, “the sides never came close to an agreement,” which is why the Mets then switched to at least testing the waters to see what Alonso might get on the trade market.
The length and number of Mets offers is exactly the same as the last seven years Matt OlsonAn extension with the Braves, signed back in March 2022. Olson was two years away from free agency at the time of that long-term deal, and the final dollar was an eight-year deal worth $168MM in guaranteed money, plus the Braves holding a $20MM club option for the offseason 2030. New York's offer to Alonso apparently did not include a club option, but it symbolized Olson's deal removing the $15MM Olson was due in 2022 (the first year of the extension). Freddie FreemanThe six-year, $162MM contract with the Dodgers was another contract, as the Mets' offer gave Alonso more real money than Freeman because of the deferrals involved in the original LA contract.
Olson and Freeman were Alonso's obvious frontrunners as starters, and reports last November suggested Alonso was seeking a “significantly larger” contract than either of the two deals. In perhaps surprising news, Alonso's agent Scott Boras feels the same way, as Boras told Sherman that Alonso's market is different from other recent big baseman contracts because of Alonso's age (he'll be 30 on Opening Day 2025) and because the dynamics of extensions and free agent deals are different.
“The market for 40-homer consistent, solid, playable, true middle-of-the-lineup sluggers is a question,” said Boras. “Note that none are available in free agency and none are forthcoming [in the next few years]. Also, he's a proven New Yorker, which is an unanswerable question for many others – not Pete. Resilience and quality production, which most MLB teams lack. They will covet the opportunity to receive a free gift from such talent.”
It's worth noting that Alonso was an Apex Sports client when he and the Mets negotiated this extension, and Alonso then switched representation to the Boras Corporation after the season. With a few notable exceptions over the years, Boras' clients have generally ended up heading to the open market rather than signing a contract extension, so it would be a big surprise if Alonso and the Mets agreed to a new deal closer to Alonso's arrival in. open-air market.
Alonso burst onto the scene with a 53-homer season in 2019, earning both NL Rookie of the Year honors and the first of three career All-Star berths (and the first of two Home Run Derby crowns during the All – Star). Naturally this made Alonso an instant star in New York, and he has maintained the momentum by hitting 202 homers and slashing .249 / .340 / .524 in his career. Those 202 homers are the most by any player since the start of the 2019 campaign.
This season is more of the same, as Alonso hit .226/.307/.458 with 10 homers in his first 189 plate appearances in 2024. However, Alonso is now in his second straight season with below average difficulty. -hit the ball level, even if his barrel level remains outstanding. Overall, Alonso still covers the ball when he makes premium contact, but he struggles with anything under the barrel, given how his batting averages have dropped — a .261 average in his first four seasons but only .219 since. Despite these numbers, teams would have the usual concerns that come with giving any rookie a guaranteed big deal in his 30s, and beyond the bat, Alonso's defense is considered pretty good.
Leaving $158MM on the table could seem like a lot for Alonso if he has a crash that lowers his overall production, or if he gets injured. (Though Alonso has largely held on to his job, with only two minor trips to the injured list.) There's also the possibility that this winter's free agent market could resemble last season's practices, where several high-profile free agents — including several Boras clients — he had to deal with smaller deals than expected. If any of Alonso's red flags become more apparent during the 2024 campaign, teams may begin to try to see if they can wait outside the market to see if Alonso can be the type of tough short-term, opt-out contracts. signed by the “Boras Four” this past winter.
On the other hand, Alonso's regular season form should provide an excellent platform, and the Polar Bear is ranked fourth in MLB's most recent Power Rankings for the 2024-25 free agent class. The first baseman's chances of getting a contract closer to $200MM than $158MM are also helped by the fact that Mets owner Steve Cohen has expressed his hope that Alonso will stay with the team for a long time, and Cohen has not been shy about it. he spends a lot of money to achieve his desired goals. President of baseball David Stearns will obviously have a say in whatever path the Mets take in their pursuit of Alonso, but if Cohen is willing to outbid the market for a fan favorite, Alonso may have some upside that other free agents don't have, depending how aggressive will the Mets be on outfielders over Alonso.
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