For years, New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso has been an extension candidate.
The two parties haven’t been able to agree on a deal over the years, and now the player will hit free agency after the 2024 season.
Any leverage the Mets could have had while using pre-arbitration and arbitration seasons to lower the total amount of the contract is almost gone, not to mention that the player has had some really prolific power seasons.
Still, the Mets want to retain a fan favorite and they have the resources to do so.
Fans are so desperate to see the Polar Bear back that they got excited about a recent report (more on that in a minute).
GM Billy Eppler, however, put some water to the fire with a statement.
“Billy Eppler has issued a statement on Pete Alonso: ‘While we understand the media and public interest in player contract situations, we strongly believe in keeping those conversations private. Any circulating reports do not accurately reflect our conversations with Pete,'” Mets insider Anthony DiComo tweeted.
Billy Eppler has issued a statement on Pete Alonso:
"While we understand the media and public interest in player contract situations, we strongly believe in keeping those conversations private. Any circulating reports do not accurately reflect our conversations with Pete."
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) September 20, 2023
Eppler did not clarify why he felt the need to issue a statement on Alonso, but it probably stems from an SI.com report written by Pat Ragazzo, saying that the two parties are close on the money but not on the years.
Source: Mets and Pete Alonso have discussed an extension and are on the same page with financials, but apart on the amount of years
— Pat Ragazzo (@ragazzoreport) September 20, 2023
Alonso will turn 29 in September, so he is still technically in his prime.
He is showing it this year, with 45 home runs and an .846 OPS.
Still, it’s fair to question how well he will age, especially considering his defensive value is not too high given the fact he plays first base.
Eventually, the two sides should hammer out a deal, but they are not quite there yet.
NEXT: The Mets Have Had A Lot Change In 1 Full Year
