New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso remains on track to reach free agency after the season and revealed he received some advice from former teammate and current Texas Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer.
“Basically, he’s like, dude, it’s every other year,” Alonso said about his conversation with Scherzer, as shared by Tim Healey of Newsday. “Nothing changes. Between your first year or any year for that matter, the only thing that changes are the external circumstances. The day-to-day stuff, you’re focused on winning and being the best version of yourself for your team and trying to win games.”
Scherzer signed a three-year, $130M deal with the Mets shortly after the 2021 season but was traded to the Rangers last summer amid New York’s fire sale. Alonso, meanwhile, seemingly never came close to inking an extension this past offseason with what’s been his only MLB home. The fan-favorite slugger who turns 30 years old this December is routinely the subject of trade rumors but is doing all he can to remain focused on the task at hand.
“I feel like I’ve been myself,” Alonso said about what’s been an up-and-down season for the “Polar Bear” and the Mets. “I’m doing a good job of trying to win baseball games and putting my efforts toward that. Performing and not performing, there’s ebbs and flows to the season. Over the course of the year, everything will even out and be where it’s supposed to be.”
The 35-38 Mets began Thursday afternoon a single game back in the battle for the National League’s third wild-card spot. On Thursday morning, Will Sammon, Patrick Mooney and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic noted that much of the NL “is stuck in a holding pattern” as it pertains to the July 30 MLB trade deadline because of what could remain a crowded wild-card playoff picture through next month.
Alonso insisted he wants to stay with the Mets beyond 2024 because he loves both the club and New York. For now, he and his teammates must concentrate on winning to prevent Mets owner Steve Cohen from selling out-of-contract players before August.