Mets’ Pete Alonso reacts to bold Juan Soto-Corbin Burnes free agency scenario

There is an importance that Alonso brings to the Mets clubhouse and lineup that would garner him a long-term deal with the club. Numbers matter though and his decline late last season, matched with his start this year, are things New York will consider when debating what to offer Alonso.

The Mets have not been shy to hand out monster contracts since Steve Cohen took ownership, both to retain its players and bring in new stars. With another crop of high-impact players set to hit the open market in November, New York will be well-positioned to make another splash or two.

Not including Alonso in that group would have been a shocking thing to do even before the 2023 season. 13 months later, it still might stun Mets fans to see the franchise walk away from an undeniable leader and fan favorite, but it’s more of a possibility now than it ever has been.

Alonso is undoubtedly one of the sport’s best power bats. He’s averaged 41 home runs and 114 RBIs over the last three seasons. It’s unclear if that will overvalue his below-par defense and declining batting average when it comes to negotiating his next contract.

The Mets have stood in mediocrity for much of the last three decades and don’t particularly have a franchise icon who played his entire career with New York (cue the Don La Greca Ed Kranepool rant). Alonso seems like a player who can become that, but there are no guarantees he even gets a second contract from the Mets.

From ‘Boras Four’ to ‘Boras More’

MLB free agency last offseason was headlined by Shohei Ohtani, but as the 2024 season approached, several big-name players were still without contracts. Four of them – Cody Bellinger, Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery and Matt Chapman – were all Scott Boras clients.

All four eventually landed a deal but none were longer than three years, although Chapman’s one-year contract can turn into four years with options. It was a surprising development and conclusion to an offseason filled with question marks about how MLB teams analyze the open market.

Boras has long been known for his ability to capture high average annual value and lengthy deals for his players, but many believe he was off his game last offseason and overshot the market values of his clients. Still, he was able to get some of his lesser-known players a high number on short-term contracts.

Boras will oversee Alonso, Soto and Burnes’ negotiations this winter, among others. Soto will likely garner the biggest contract out of the three and could top $400 million in total value. That’s a number few teams are willing to spend, but the Mets might be one of them.

Pete Alonso and the Mets had several chances to strike a deal before he hit free agency. That’s unlikely to be the case now and could end up spelling the end of his time with the franchise.

Mets fans had a glimpse of hope for a bright future following the 2022 season. Less than two years later, the future of the franchise is uncertain and the roster could see significant changes with Pete Alonso’s departure a possibility.