The New York Mets are spending their January so far playing a game of chicken.
After six productive seasons in Queens, four-time All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso hit free agency hoping to cash in a big-time contract. Unfortunately, the market for his services hasn’t materialized the way he or agent Scott Boras had hoped.
Alonso likely isn’t going to get $200 million, and at this point, even $150 million seems a little far-fetched. The most recent report has been that Boras has offered the Mets an exclusive three-year, $100 million deal, which seems like a concession on his and Alonso’s behalf.
But, as one Major League Baseball insider explained Saturday, he could still set a record if and when he returns to the Mets.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic recently predicted that Alonso would sign a three-year, $93.3 million contract to return to the Mets, which would allow Boras and Alonso to claim a new, unique contract distinction.
“Why $93.3 million?” Rosenthal wrote. “Because a $31.1 million average annual value would set a record for a first baseman, beating Miguel Cabrera’s $31 million AAV in his eight-year, $248 million extension with the Detroit Tigers that ran from 2016 to ’23, his ages 33 to 40 seasons.”
Alonso, 30, has 226 home runs in a Mets uniform, and is 26 away from the all-time franchise record. He owns a .249/.339/.514 career slash line, good for a 134 OPS+.
Is it somewhat dubious for Alonso to beat a previous record by the smallest possible margin, especially when he’s still guaranteed to hit free agency at least one more time in the near future? Perhaps, but if that’s what it takes to get a deal done, few would complain.
More MLB: Mets predicted to poach Padres’ 22-save All-Star in free agency blockbuster
