A New York Mets rumor explains why they and Pete Alonso are still far apart on a new contract. And why the Boston Red Sox should be taken seriously as a dark horse threat to sign the free agent slugger.
The Mets entered the offseason with a boatload of goals. After shockingly reaching the NLCS in October the club made a historic move to improve the roster when they inked New York Yankees superstar Juan Soto to a record-shattering contract. They also filled three big holes in the starting rotation, including re-signing fan-favorite Sean Manaea.
However, the team has a bit of a problem when it comes to first base. Homegrown All-Star Pete Alonso is a free agent. And while the market for his services has been weak, he and the team are still reportedly far apart on a new contract despite both sides preferring a reunion.
On Wednesday, MLB insider Jon Heyman revealed during a Bleacher Report livestream that the big hold-up in discussions is the number of years the first baseman is seeking. While the team is aiming for a shorter deal of around three years, according to Heyman the 30-year-old is looking for “at least six years” in his next contract.
- Pete Alonso stats (2024): .240 AVG, .329 OBP, .459 SLG, .788 OBP, 34 HR, 88 RBI, 91 R
Boston Red Sox legit threat to lure Pete Alonso away from the New York Mets for two reasons
In his stream, Heyman looked at the teams that could be the biggest threats to New York to swoop in and sign Alonso. One team he believes could be a contender is the Boston Red Sox. However, he claims they would first need to trade first-base prospect Tristan Casas. Something he believes they will seriously consider this winter.
- Pete Alonso contract (Projection): Four years, $120 million
However, he also dropped another interesting nugget of information linking the four-time All-Star to Boston. He revealed that Alonso’s wife Haley is a Boston native. The opinions of friends and family always play a role in a player’s free-agent decision. If the Red Sox do get more involved in the Alonso chase, his wife pushing for a return home could certainly play a factor in talks.