In David Stearns’ first Port St. Lucie press conference, he couldn’t escape a question regarding the contract status of first baseman Pete Alonso. His roster status has been in flux since reports emerged at the August trade deadline in 2023 about a possible move to Milwaukee. Now, there may be a conclusion, a temporary one at least. The offseason will be the time for the Mets and all teams to negotiate with the slugger.
Photo by Roberto Carlo
Stearns noted that it’s a practice the team has been successful in before. In the 2022 offseason, Brandon Nimmo hit the free agent market and met with other teams. However, the Mets and Nimmo agreed on an eight-year, $162 million deal to make him a Met for life.
Then there’s the other option the team followed with star closer Edwin Díaz. After his electric 2022 season, the team negotiated with him in the five days after the conclusion of the World Series. He then signed his five-year, $102 million contract.
It’s been no secret how much Pete loves New York. Many of the charities and organizations Alonso’s involved with are New York-based, and he’s gone out of his way to pay tribute to the city, even when facing steep fines. Teammates have vocalized how much he wants to be part of the team and how much they want him here. Regardless, Stearns and Cohen don’t seem concerned about a deal taking shape come the offseason.
Alonso, a fan and teammate favorite, won NL Rookie of the Year in 2019 after clobbering 53 home runs, the most ever by a rookie. In his tenure with the Mets, he’s hit .251/.342/.528/.870 and holds a career 17.3 bWAR. If he were to remain a part of the Mets, there’s no doubt he would shatter records left and right.
