Mets fans shouldn’t fret about Pete Alonso playing without a long-term deal. Not yet.
“[Steve Cohen] is not going to let Alonso walk,” one rival executive predicted.
Cohen and Co. got Jeff McNeil done at $50 million or four years, but it’s no surprise Alonso, a free agent after 2024, is proving more difficult. No one is talking publicly about discussions, but two factors make this a tough one for now: 1) The Mets are taxed at 90 percent now (and 110 percent starting next year) so any deal costs them double, and 2) Alonso, as a slugging superstar who’s younger and looking at a much bigger deal than McNeil, has less incentive to sign now. A year-to-year arrangement may benefit him.
“He’s in a good situation,” his good friend McNeil said in answer to a question about the difference between a batting champion and a 50-homer hitter. “These power hitters get paid. He’s a guy who’s going to get a good deal whenever. … I’m happy for him.”
The Mets love Alonso, a homegrown star who provides an almost irreplaceable power source. While talking generally about his budget, Cohen happily pointed out Robinson Cano comes off the books next year.
Alonso said multiple times at his opening press conference that he “loves” New York but didn’t feel comfortable discussing his contract situation.
“I’d love to see him here a long time,” McNeil said. “He’s great for the city of New York. He’s embraced it.”