The New York Mets aren’t chomping at the bit to sign Pete Alonso to the contract he feels he deserves. But don’t rule out a reunion just yet.
Last week, the Mets re-signed outfielder Jesse Winker, which was accompanied by the news that Alonso was no longer their top priority in free agency. Though the four-time All-Star first baseman has yet to sign elsewhere, the Mets don’t appear willing to offer him anywhere near what he believes he’s worth.
Last winter, New York offered Alonso a seven-year, $158 million extension, which he turned down. This time around, they were only willing to give him three years and $70 million, according to a report from the New York Post’s Joel Sherman.
Does that mean Alonso and the Mets are officially destined for a split? Not so, says one Major League Baseball insider.
On Tuesday, MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo described a scenario in which Alonso could return to the Mets and accept their previous offer, essentially admitting defeat after failing to land a longer-term deal from another ballclub.
“I won’t believe Alonso is heading elsewhere until he actually does,” DiComo wrote. “But I also don’t believe for a second that Mets officials are bluffing. Recent reports from SNY, the New York Post and The Athletic have painted the front office as willing to walk away from Alonso.”
“It appears clear that the Mets won’t go much beyond three years and, say, $70 million, as the Post suggested. At that price, they would surely welcome Alonso back. But if Alonso continues balking at such figures, I do believe the Mets are sincere in their willingness to walk away.”
With 226 home runs in his Mets career, Alonso is only 27 long balls away from setting a new all-time franchise record. Mets fans would love to see the slugger accomplish such a feat in 2025, but the front office understandably doesn’t want to overpay him to do it.
At this point, though, it’s hard to see where that bigger contract is coming from if the Mets won’t offer it. The Toronto Blue Jays? They just signed Anthony Santander. The Los Angeles Angels? Maybe, but it’s a tough sell to play for the team with the sport’s longest active playoff drought.
The Mets hold all the negotiating power at the moment, and that’s a good thing on some level. But their lineup is still likely better with Alonso in it than not, so their offer should remain on the table if he suddenly chooses to accept.
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