Last week, it was reported that free agent Pete Alonso, who is still the New York Mets‘ No. 1 option in free agency at this point, offered the team a three-year deal with several opt-outs and a high average annual value (AAV).
The free agent market in MLB works in mysterious ways. What we know from last year is that those who wait a bit too long to sign often don’t end up getting the deals they want. As we get closer to spring training, most teams have already found cheaper solutions to their needs.
Top MLB free agents copying Pete Alonso’s offered contract structure
Alonso and other top available players might be already compromising their earning potential, hence the short deals with opt-outs and a high AAV to give them a chance to re-enter the market last year. As the Mets continue to negotiate with Alonso, other free agents are following suit and have shown a willingness to accept a similar contract structure:
“At least two — right-hander Jack Flaherty and outfielder Anthony Santander — are open to considering short-term deals with high average annual values, according to league sources briefed on their discussions,” Ken Rosenthal and Will Salmon of The Athletic wrote.
The Mets can afford contracts with a similar structure
The Mets are probably not a fit for Santander at this point unless they execute a trade or two. It’s possible, though. Flaherty could be more of a realistic option for them, but it’s unclear if they will pursue the right-handed.
As for Santander, there are reasons behind the fact he hasn’t been able to sign the kind of deal he wants. He is a fine hitter, but he is also flawed in several ways:
“Santander, 30, also is an imperfect free agent, even after hitting a career-high 44 homers. His career .307 on-base percentage, below-average sprint speed and poor defensive metrics all might be contributing to his seeming difficulties in the market,” The Athletic wrote.
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The Mets are still a threat to sign whoever they want because they have the money to do it and are, due to multiple expiring contracts that were very expensive, still running a much lower payroll than last year even after adding Juan Soto and retooling their rotation. It’s worth keeping an eye on their next move(s) whether it is Alonso, Santander, Flaherty, or anyone else.
