The New York Mets appear to have little hope remaining that they’ll get a deal done with their treasured first baseman Pete Alonso in free agency.
Mets see Pete Alonso’s exit as nearly inevitable
MLB Trade Rumors’ Darragh McDonald unearthed a string of reports which shed light on the Mets’ viewpoint on the Alonso situation:
“The Mets and Pete Alonso have been in a staredown for a while but it seems the club is blinking. Andy Martino of SNY reports that they now expect him to sign elsewhere, with today’s agreement with Jesse Winker part of a plan to spread money around to various alternatives. Earlier today, Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that Alonso’s market was heating up, with the Blue Jays and Mets involved, as well as a third unidentified team,” McDonald wrote.
McDonald also accentuated how Alonso’s camp reportedly was willing to settle for a short-term deal with opt-outs, but the money that the franchise proposed, $90 million over three years, was not enough for him.
Mets’ focus has shifted as Alonso’s market has expanded
Now that the Florida native’s market is opening up following many of his positional counterparts getting taken off of the board, there’s a strong likelihood that another team such as the Blue Jays or the other unnamed suitor will capitulate to Alonso’s salary demands, or at least come closer than New York. In turn, the Mets have eyes on Blue Jays superstar first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. They would push the button on a midseason trade in 2025 at the first chance they’d get.
Therefore, unless Alonso cashes out at $30 million annually for each of the next three seasons, he’ll have to chase his desired long-term deal elsewhere, which New York is now bracing for.