SNY and different retailers have identified that the truth that 5 groups just lately acquired new first basemen seemingly will increase the chance that All-Star Pete Alonso will ultimately return to the New York Mets.
Nonetheless, The Athletic’s Will Sammon revealed on Monday that “there was no indication talks between the Mets and Alonso had picked up steam” forward of Christmas and that “the sticking level” concerning the events’ discussions “may very well be contract size.”
Together with ESPN’s Jeff Passan, unnamed executives shared final week that “groups are hesitant to provide” Alonso a long-term contract as a result of he is a right-handed hitting and throwing first baseman who turned 30 years outdated earlier this month. Whereas talking with Sammon, one longtime American League scout advised that the Mets and Alonso might in the end want one another this offseason.
“In all probability will take 4 years, however I’d attempt to push for a better annual common worth over three years,” the scout mentioned about how Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns might strategy contract talks with Alonso’s camp. “If I really feel he’s a man who places us excessive, I simply give that fourth 12 months.”
New York’s historic signing of famous person outfielder Juan Soto turned a membership that made a stunning run to this 12 months’s Nationwide League Championship Sequence right into a win-now staff. Whereas a lot has been made about Alonso being a defensive legal responsibility, the StatMuse web site reveals that solely New York Yankees captain Aaron Decide has hit extra regular-season dwelling runs (232) than Alonso (226) since 2019.
Briefly, the Mets’ lineup would undeniably be higher in March 2025 with Alonso defending Soto than with out the “Polar Bear,” a fan favourite who has performed just for the Amazins since his MLB debut in 2019.
“The dialog on Pete typically veers an excessive amount of into what he doesn’t do,” one NL scout advised Sammon, “however we must always actually give him credit score for issues he does do, too, like hit dwelling runs as a result of he does that at an elite stage. And he ought to proceed to.”
Stearns and Mets proprietor Steve Cohen are displaying persistence with Alonso’s market, which has not grow to be what he hoped it could be a few months in the past.
Final week, Mark Feinsand of the MLB web site reported that Alonso “could have to attend till January or February to safe” the deal he needs. Nonetheless, Stearns and Cohen had higher notice that many paying clients will not react kindly if this ready recreation leads to the slugger signing elsewhere.
