The New York Mets, who boast one of the largest payrolls in baseball, won just 75 games in the 2023 campaign, highlighting the difficulties facing new president of baseball operations David Stearns.
Whether to give outstanding player Pete Alonso a contract extension or allow him to walk in free agency at the end of the following season is one of Stearns’ top concerns. In response, Stearns stated with confidence that he expects to re-sign the first baseman during an interview on “Foul Territory” after giving the subject some thought.
The executive said, “Let’s set it up for tomorrow,” in response to a question about when Stearns may conduct a press conference to reveal that Alonso had inked a contract that would make him “a Met for life.”
“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.”
Pete Alonso’s extension might cost the New York Mets $290 million.
However, it might not be so simple to ask Alonso to dedicate the rest of his career to the Mets. Sportrac estimates that when he hits free agency at the end of the season, his market worth would necessitate a nine-year, $291 million contract.
In addition, ESPN’s Paul Hembekides noted that, in spite of Stearns’ statements, he seemed hesitant to devote so much money to first base given his tenure with the Milwaukee Brewers front office.
According to Hembekides, “the Brewers used seven different first basemen on Opening Day in his eight seasons as general manager, including Ryan Braun (2018) and Keston Hiura (2021), both of whom converted to the position.” Stated differently, Stearns has never given first base priority. Stearns will be more likely to trade Alonso than extend him until owner Steve Cohen steps in, taking advantage of a market lacking in bats similar to his.
“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.”
Even if the Mets decide to keep Alonso, observers have been quick to note that further funding may be necessary to fully utilise his talent. They have advised the organisation to spend at least $13 million on a slugger who can bat behind him in the order.
Key 2024 Season Ahead for the New York Mets
Stearns, who was brought in shortly after the Mets’ 87th game of the 2023 season ended in a loss, has made some impressive offseason acquisitions.
After failing in their bid to sign star free agency pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the team added depth to their pitching rotation and took a risk with Sean Manea and Luis Severino. Harrison Bader gave their centerfield defence an improvement. and added Jake Diekman and Adam Ottavino to the bullpen.
All things considered, Stearns has shown a team that has fallen short of its recent great swings the way to steadily progress.
“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.”
Is Stearns making the most of the budget in anticipation of using a large portion of it to keep Alonso? His most recent remarks suggested that might be the case, but more time will tell.