A seven-year contract request doesn’t usually send shockwaves through the winter rumor mill, but when it comes from Pete Alonso, it lands differently. The New York Mets know his value better than anyone, yet they also understand the league’s hesitation.
Power ages in unpredictable ways, and front offices have spent the last decade convincing themselves they can chart that decline with spreadsheets and precedent. Still, it’s hard to look at Alonso’s track record and not wonder if someone will eventually break from the pack and simply bet on the bat.
A Market Cooler Than Alonso Expected
The offseason opened with Alonso making his intentions clear. He wants a long-term home. He wants security. He wants the type of commitment stars of his stature often get when they hit the open market at the right time. Instead, the response around MLB has been lukewarm. Clubs see a slugger entering his age 31 season who brings no defensive flexibility and minimal value on the bases. They respect the raw power, but they don’t want to chase the downside tail of a contract that stretches into his late 30s.
That’s why his two-year, 54 million deal with an opt-out after 2025 felt like a bridge rather than a destination. The Mets knew it. Alonso knew it. They ran out the clock last winter, betting that another strong season could reset the conversation. And to Alonso’s credit, he held up his end of the bargain, delivering a 141 wRC+, 38 home runs, and the franchise’s all-time home run record with No. 264. Those are not the numbers of a player in decline.
The Disconnect Between Value and Contract Length
What makes this situation tricky is the gap between Alonso’s production and the market’s appetite for risk. Scouts and analysts agree that the bat is elite. It’s the variable pieces around it that create hesitation. If his glove offered even average value or he ran a little better, he’d likely find a wider lane to the contract he wants. But teams have grown increasingly selective about committing length to one-dimensional sluggers. When Joel Sherman of the New York Post checked around the league, he found no one ready to break that pattern.
One AL official told him bluntly that length simply isn’t out there for Alonso. A veteran agent went further, suggesting that even five years is unlikely and that four might only come with a lower annual salary and heavy deferrals. It’s not exactly the bidding war Alonso hoped to spark after opting out.
Who’s Actually Interested?
The suitors are familiar. The Baltimore Orioles have kicked the tires. The Boston Red Sox have shown interest as well. And of course, the Mets remain in the picture, even if they’ve made it clear they won’t bid against themselves. These are teams that appreciate the power and the track record, but none appear ready to hand over the seven-year pact Alonso wants.
That puts the Mets in an interesting position. They’re the club that knows him best, that understands how much he means to the fan base, that has watched him carry their offense through cold months and injury stretches. They also understand the leverage: if no one else is offering the years, why should they?
A Familiar Winter Taking Shape
If this all feels familiar, it’s because it is. Alonso’s free agency looks eerily similar to the dance the parties did last winter. Plenty of admiration. Plenty of conversation. Not much movement. The Mets would love to keep him, but at their price and their terms. Alonso wants to stay, but not at a discount he feels he hasn’t earned.
Something eventually has to give. Maybe it’s the market softening to four guaranteed years with options. Maybe it’s Alonso recalibrating after staring at the same lukewarm offers for weeks. Or maybe it’s the Mets seizing the moment to lock down a franchise icon while the rest of the league hesitates.
For now, the winter plays on. And once again, Pete Alonso and the New York Mets find themselves circling the same questions, waiting for a breakthrough that still hasn’t arrived.
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