The Mets‘ offseason has been quite busy, from searching for a new manager and president of baseball operations to rebuilding most of their roster after gutting it at last year’s trade deadline.
While the blue and orange have accomplished a lot, one thing has yet to occur: signing star first baseman Pete Alonso to an extension.
Supposedly, the sides have yet to discuss such an agreement.
The Mets have not discussed a contract extension with Alonso
Speaking to the media on Saturday, Alonso revealed that the Mets have not discussed an extension; they have only discussed a one-year deal to avoid arbitration.
The two sides avoided arbitration when the man nicknamed the Polar Bear signed a one-year $20.5 million contract in early January.
While the Mets have not discussed an extension, Alonso is undoubtedly open to staying.
“I love it here,” Alonso said on Saturday. “I definitely have envisioned myself being a lifelong Met. That’s something I’ve definitely thought about. I welcome the idea, but I can’t predict the future.”
Why haven’t the Mets talked to Alonso?
While at least discussing an extension with an all-star and fan-favorite player in his prime seems like a no-brainer, new President of Baseball Operations David Stearns might have explained why that hasn’t occurred on Monday.
“Look, when you have a really talented player, who’s really good, and who’s entering the final year of club control who happens to be represented by Scott Boras, these things generally end up in free agency,” Stearns said. “We understand that.”
What do the Mets do with Alonso?
The blue and orange dealt with a similar situation during the 2022 campaign when superstar closer Edwin Díaz was set to hit free agency at the end of the year, and he did just that before returning to Flushing on the most lucrative contract for a reliever of all time.
So it seems obvious: keep Alonso and try to sign him back in free agency.
Well, things are a tad different this time.
First, in 2022, the Mets were competing for a World Series, so keeping Díaz to capture a championship was worth the risk of letting him walk for nothing.
2024 has already been said to be a retooling year before going for it all once more in 2025, so would it make sense to potentially let Alonso walk for nothing after a season that is being punted from the get-go rather than acquire some more prospects to bulk up the farm system?
But would trading him result in Alonso not even considering the Mets if he were to reach free agency at all?
Regardless of what Stearns and company decide to do with their superstar free agent to be, it will be something to watch as the 2024 season unfolds.