Getty The New York Mets' homegrown slugger Pete Alonso is set to hit free agency at the end of the 2024 season
Despite having one of the highest payrolls in baseball, the New York Mets won just 75 games in the 2023 season, underscoring the challenges faced by new president of baseball operations David Stearns.
One of the most pressing questions for Stearns is whether to offer an extension to star player Pete Alonso or to let him leave in free agency at the end of next season. Reflecting on that question during an appearance on “Foul Territory,” Stearns answered confidently that he hopes to re-sign the first baseman.
When Stearns was asked when he might hold a press conference to announce that Alonso has signed a deal making him “a Met for life,” the executive responded, “Let’s set it up for tomorrow.”
“Pete’s a really good player, he’s performed on a big stage here for a long time,” Stearns added. “I know that, we all know that, I know how important he is to our fan base… We’re certainly invested in trying to keep Pete a Met and I’m hopeful that over time we’ll be able to work that out.”
Extending Pete Alonso Might Cost New York Mets $290 Million
But asking Alonso to commit the rest of his career to the Mets might not be so easy. Sportrac projects that his market value would require a nine-year, $291 million contract as he enters free agency at the end of the season.
And ESPN’s Paul Hembekides pointed out that, despite what Stearns says, his time in the front office for the Milwaukee Brewers suggests he would be loath to commit that much money to first base.
“In his eight seasons as Brewers GM, Milwaukee used seven different Opening Day first basemen, including Ryan Braun (2018) and Keston Hiura (2021), both of whom converted to the position,” Hembekides reported. “In other words, Stearns has never prioritized first base. Unless owner Steve Cohen intervenes, Stearns will be more inclined to trade Alonso than extend him, capitalizing on a market devoid of bats like his.”
And even if the Mets do retain Alonso, analysts have been quick to point out that some additional investment might be required to make the most of his bat, urging the team to spend $13 million or more on a slugger who can bat behind him in the order.
New York Mets Face Pivotal 2024 Season
After being introduced just after the Mets lost their 87th game of the 2023 season, Stearns has made some compelling offseason moves.
The team attempted to land marquee free agent pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto and, failing that, creatively addressed their pitching rotation by adding depth and high-upside gambles in Sean Manea and Luis Severino. They upgraded their centerfield defense with Harrison Bader. And padded the bullpen with Adam Ottavino and Jake Diekman.
All told, Stearns has outlined a path toward steady improvement for a franchise that missed on its recent big swings.
“Big-picture wise, David Stearns didn’t make even one acquisition that moved the needle as far as exciting the fan base or offering the perception of dramatically improving the 2024 team,” John Harper wrote for SNY. “However, if you accept the organizational reset as the best way to build a sustainable winner … then there is a case to be made for Stearns maximizing his budget with some moves that could provide good value.”
Could Stearns be maximizing the budget because he hopes to deploy much of it in retaining Alonso? His latest comments have hinted that could be the case, but only time will tell.