It sounds like the New York Mets will at least listen to offers for All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso this coming offseason.
“Time flies and Alonso will be in his walk year in 2024, and attempts so far to reach a long-term extension have not really come close,” MLB insider Joel Sherman of the New York Post explained in a piece published Sunday night. “It is why the Mets had Alonso out on the market at the trade deadline and probably will again this offseason. They set a high price for a return in July/August and will do so again this winter.”
Specifically, it was reported in August that the Milwaukee Brewers and Mets had conversations ahead of the trade deadline regarding Alonso’s availability. However, Andy Martino of SNY said in late August that the Mets do not “plan to actively shop Alonso” this fall or winter and Jon Heyman of the New York Post later noted that a so-called “Mets watcher” told him it would be “extremely” surprising if big-spending club owner Steve Cohen let the popular slugger go this offseason.
“Alonso, to date, has set a high price for an extension that even Steve Cohen — who paid market-plus to retain (outfielder Brandon Nimmo), (All-Star closer) Edwin Diaz and (utility man) Jeff McNeil — has yet to approve,” Sherman added.
Nimmo signed an eight-year contract reportedly worth $162M with the Mets this past December. The Mets held onto Diaz via a five-year, $102M deal. McNeil inked a four-year, $50M agreement in January that includes a fifth-year club option.
Per StatMuse, no player has hit more home runs across regular-season play since the start of 2019 than Alonso (187). Heyman suggested in late August that the 28-year-old’s camp is looking to secure a contract worth around $200M over five years.
While touching upon the trade rumors that have hovered over Alonso throughout the summer, MLB writer Deesha Thosar of Fox Sports said last week that “at least a handful of Mets players” are “planning to privately appeal” for Cohen to keep Alonso.
Pockets of Mets fans are also making their voices heard as it pertains to Alonso’s future, but Cohen may feel that selling the “Polar Bear” makes sense to build for the second half of the decade as the Mets attempt to once again compete with the dominant Atlanta Braves.
