Don’t hold your breath for one of the increasingly rare big spring contracts involving Pete Alonso. He is almost certain to become a free agent after the 2024 season.
That doesn’t mean he’s a wreck. He probably just likes to keep his options open.
Mets team president David Stearns essentially conceded that there would be no quick deal for Alonso as Stearns’ spring opener presser due to 1) Alonso’s star quality, 2) new agent, and 3) timing.
“You know, when you have a player who’s really talented and really good and happens to be in his final year of control at a club that Scott Boras represents, these things usually come in free agency.” Stearns said. “We understand that.”
There is one more reason, which is closely related to reason #1, and that is Alonso’s possible way of thinking. Longtime acquaintances of the Mets slugger don’t see him as a “local discount” kind of guy.
While there is no reason to doubt Alonso’s professed love for the Mets/New York, old friends would like to see Alonso assess his true market value over the years and receive compensation commensurate with that market value. He believes he is – that is clearly his right.
Of course, that doesn’t mean he’s leaving.
Brandon Nimmo also hired Boras, who is known for maximizing the value of free agents, and he remained with the Mets after he became a free agent. Bigger stars than Nimmo could stay, especially Aaron Judge, who signed a record contract with the Yankees, but he didn’t take the Giants and accepted the Yankees’ $360 million bid, leaving him with a lot of money. He may be different from most big stars in that he has Or a Padres counter.
Alonso, who is scheduled to enter camp by Feb. 19, did not specifically inform the Mets that he would become a free agent, but he didn’t have to. They had made several attempts in the past to lock him up for long periods of time, which gave them an early indication of where this was going.
The Mets will use recent contracts for star first basemen as guideposts, including Freddie Freeman’s long-delayed $162 million, six-year deal and Paul Goldschmidt’s $130 million, five-year deal. However, Boras prefers much older contracts, including the two he has negotiated. — Mark Teixeira’s $180 million contract and Prince Fielder’s $214 million contract — as comps.
Although Fielder’s contract (as well as those with Albert Pujols, Joey Votto, and Miguel Cabrera) are considered overpaying, Boras also said that in the more than 10 years since those contracts were signed, They will also mention that salaries are increasing across the board. Alonso’s unique skill set (he has hit more home runs than anyone since entering MLB), combined with his uncanny ability to stay on the field (he misses an average of five games a year), could lead to him achieving a grand slam in free agency. It means that effort is inevitable.
