A major report has emerged surrounding Pete Alonso.
SNY’s Andy Martino reports that the New York Mets do not believe Alonso will be back with them next season. He says that the two sides “have not come close” on either dollar or year amounts in their contract talks. Additionally, the team re-signing Jesse Winker is viewed as a sign that they are working on a future without Alonso.
Alonso was a second-round pick by the Mets in 2016 and made it to the majors in 2019. That season, he bashed a league-high 53 home runs and won NL Rookie of the Year.
The 30-year-old first baseman has been an All-Star for three seasons running and four overall during his career. He has a career .249 average with an .854 OPS. Alonso also is durable and played in 162 games during the regular season last year.
Both the Mets and Alonso have expressed interest in continuing their relationship.
“We think he’s a great Met and we’re still engaged,” Mets owner Steve Cohen said of Alonso in December. “We hope he stays as a Met. … He’s entitled to go out, test his market and see what it is. Hopefully we’ll get there.”
Based on what Martino has reported, it seems the Mets no longer think the two sides will bridge their gap. Giving Alonso a new contract would come at a considerable cost — apparently too great of a cost for the Mets, for now. The team spent $765 million to sign Juan Soto, which may have limited the funds they have available to retain Alonso.
Alonso earned $20.5 million last season in his final year of arbitration. He has made $44.7 million over his career and is testing free agency for the first time, and looking to cash in.
As for the Mets, they could look to Mark Vientos to fill the spot at first base if they don’t plan on Alonso returning.
