Pete Alonso 'not particularly thinking about' free agency as Mets slugger struggles in walk year

Pete Alonso ‘not particularly thinking about’ free agency as Mets slugger struggles in walk year

What might be Pete Alonso’s final season with the New York Mets has not exactly gone smoothly. The team has been up and down — 0-5 start followed by a 12-3 stretch, and now 5-10 since — and Alonso’s performance is well south of his typical output. His current 1 for 30 skid has dragged his season batting line down to .205/.293/.417. He’s hit eight home runs.

The season is still young, of course, and history says Alonso will finish the year with 40-something home runs like he has in four of his five 162-game seasons (he hit 37 homers the other year). This is an important year though, because it is Alonso’s free-agent year. You only need to look across town at Aaron Judge to see how rewarding a power-filled walk year can be.

Alonso and the Mets have reportedly had contract extension talks over the years, though obviously nothing came together, and a few weeks ago new POBO David Stearns admitted Alonso reaching free agency is “the most likely outcome.” While speaking with The Athletic recently, Alonso reiterated he loves the Mets and New York, though free agency is not at the front of his mind.

“I’m not particularly thinking about that right now.”

“I love the city I play in. I consider myself a New Yorker. I have a great relationship with guys on the team obviously. And I think I have a great relationship with people in the front office and Steve as well. We’ll see what happens this winter. It’s a big question mark. For me, right now, I’m just focusing on doing what I can to help us win every day.”

A pretty standard answer for a free agent-to-be, that is. They all love the team and city. To be fair, it does seem genuine with Alonso, who has fully embraced the organization and fan base. At least from the outside, it does appear to be more than pandering with Alonso, the team’s most popular player. The sport’s wealthiest owner letting the team’s most beloved player leave would be a hard sell.

Love for the organization only goes so far come contract negotiation time. There are reasons for the Mets to extend Alonso and also reasons for the Mets to avoid extending Alonso, who turns 30 in the offseason and belongs to a demographic — righty-hitting, righty-throwing first basemen with limited defensive value — that a) doesn’t typically age well, and b) doesn’t get paid particularly well.

Further complicating matters is Scott Boras, Alonso’s agent, and a free-agent market that is currently scheduled to be loaded with high-end talent. Juan Soto, a superior hitter to Alonso and also four years younger, will be a free agent and is, objectively, a better use of the money. Soto, Alex Bregman, and Corbin Burnes will all be free agents and are all Scott Boras clients.

I do not envy the Mets. Alonso is beloved and of course they want to see him become the franchise’s all-time home run king — Alonso is 52 behind Darryl Strawberry — and eventually have his No. 20 retired. At the same time, there are already some signs of decline, particularly against velocity. Steve Cohen can afford to carry a potentially bad contract though. Why should fans care?

All signs point to Alonso becoming a free agent after the season and testing the waters, and I’m sure the Mets will stay involved in the bidding. How seriously? That remains to be seen. Alonso’s performance (and the team’s performance) between now and then will certainly play a role in all this.